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Cash boost to help ease homeless problem in Gedling borough

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Cash boost to help ease homeless problem in Gedling borough
Homeless people across Gedling borough have been given a boost with the awarding of crucial funding to tackle the ongoing problem of rough sleeping.

Gedling borough is to receive a slice of £670,000 in funding being used to tackle rough sleeping more effectively in  Nottingham and surrounding areas..

Nottingham City Council successfully bid for £185,000 of Government money each year for the next two years on behalf of the city and the district councils of Gedling, Mansfield, Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood and Bassetlaw as well as Rushcliffe and Broxtowe.

This money will help to fund an expansion in professional street outreach services to areas outside the city of Nottingham. Framework, which will deliver the new, expanded service, will contribute a further £150,000 for each of the next two years – money raised from supporters, the general public and from other sources.

homeless-person
FUNDING: Extra cash is to be given to help tackle homeless problem across the county

While there is already a street outreach team in the city, run by Framework on behalf of the City Council, no such service exists in the boroughs and districts outside the city. This means that homeless people can go without the support they need, and increases the likelihood of homeless people from outside the city gravitating towards Nottingham.

This new funding will establish a countywide Nottinghamshire Rough Sleeper Prevention Service which will offer interventions to prevent rough sleeping and where it happens, keep it to a minimum.

The new service will be run in accordance with the principles of a No Second Night Out policy. Staff will work closely with housing teams to identify people in danger of rough sleeping and deliver interventions to reduce rough sleeping by those new to the streets and among more established rough sleepers.

It will also involve a nurse from the NHS Homeless Health Team carrying out health assessments, as the health needs of rough sleepers often act as a significant barrier to sustainable independent living.

The move comes at a time when Government figures suggest a doubling in rough sleeping nationally between 2010 and 2015 – with local council estimates showing it tripled in Nottinghamshire over the same period.

Nottingham City Council put an additional £100,000 towards boosting its existing winter shelter plans this year to meet increased demand for temporary accommodation and support for people presenting themselves as homeless in the city between November and March.

Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, Councillor Jane Urquhart, said: “I’m really pleased we secured this funding as all indications are that homelessness will continue to increase and it’s important that we have a countywide response to the issue.

“Councils like ours are suffering from cuts to their grant from Government, making it harder for us to provide the support that’s needed for people facing homelessness – so any extra funding is very welcome. Closer working with councils in surrounding areas and an extension of the outreach service operated in the city into those areas will broaden and strengthen the safety net available for those who face homelessness.”

Andrew Redfern, Chief Executive of Framework, added: “We have been campaigning for some time for action to be taken on this issue and we are very pleased by this response, which has united many different stakeholders in a common cause.

“Several months ago we announced our intention to expand the reach of street outreach services into the districts and boroughs of the county in order to meet an unmet need. I am delighted that we are now being supported in this endeavour by so many partners.

“Contrary to what some may believe, helping people who sleep rough is not a straightforward matter of providing more accommodation. Many of the people we find on the streets have multiple additional problems in their lives, including substance abuse, mental health problems and history of repeat offending.

“That’s why they need more than just a bed for the night or food or clothing. They need the kind of long-term, professional, structured support that organisations like Framework are able to deliver in collaboration with its partners.”

Gedling woman loses stone after joining Notts diabetes fitness project

Gedling Eye
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Gedling woman loses stone after joining Notts diabetes fitness project
A woman from Gedling whose undiagnosed diabetes led to her toe being amputated is now optimistic about managing her condition after losing a stone in weight.

50-year-old Micheall Hearson from Gedling lost more than a stone after being referred to Fit 4 Life, a project running across South Nottinghamshire and Nottingham to help adults with type 2 diabetes become more active.

In 2015, undiagnosed diabetes meant Micheall needed a toe amputated after getting gangrene and septicaemia. She was advised to take up exercise to help her lose weight and manage her diabetes but was nervous about what she could achieve with her injuries. Thanks to a low impact, chair-based exercise class, Micheall is feeling healthier and more optimistic about her future.

Micheall said: “In February 2015, I fell very ill with gangrene in my toes and septicaemia in my left leg. This resulted in a toe amputation with a third of my left food being debrided. Then I was told I had type two diabetes, which had been undiagnosed and my blood sugars were out of control.

Chair-exercise
FITNESS: Diabetes patients referred to Fit4Life take part in chair-based exercise to help manage their condition

“After 15 months, my medication helped manage my diabetes and my foot finally healed. However, the nerves of my left foot had been cut when debriding the infection, leaving me with severe neuropathy pain that has prevented me from walking any further than five metres without pain, or being able to lift my foot or leg to do any exercise.

“After working with the diabetic medical team, I was in a catch 22 situation. I was advised that aerobic exercise would help me to lose weight but I wasn’t able to do normal exercise i.e. In a gym or swim. My focus was to recover from my operation and keep my diabetes managed at the same time.

 

“A nurse recommended Fit 4 Life. I arranged to meet my local mentor Matt but I wasn’t remotely interested. I went along with dread in my heart but tried to keep an open mind. The word ‘fit’ meant exercise to me and as I couldn’t do it, and didn’t like exercise of any type, I thought I was wasting my time.
“I was greeted at the door by a guy with a big warm smile. The first thing I said to him was “if you mention abseiling or kayaking or doing circuit training, then I’m out of here!” Matt asked me to sit down so he could explain the program, I felt so uneasy I even positioned chair next to the door so I could make a hasty retreat! That’s how sure I was that me and Fit 4 Life were not going to go together.
“Matt was so easy to talk to and he assured me that if I felt there was nothing I was going to be able to do or wanted to try, then that was fine. We discussed my abilities and willingness but also my disabilities and what I couldn’t do. He suggested a local chair based exercise class which he thought would be suitable for me. I reluctantly said I would think about it even though I was secretly thinking “I will go and see to say I have been but then I will tell Matt it was no good for me”.
“The first time I turned up I was greeted by very friendly members of the group who were already there. Throughout the hour I followed the exercises that I was able to do. I didn’t feel odd and everyone joined me in. They knew each other so well and laughed all the way through and then made sure I got a cup of tea at the end.
“Three months on, I went to my review meeting with Matt. I could not praise the class enough. I explained that it was a group of people who were all over 75 but were all fitter than me and laughed while exercising. Every time I go home I grin from ear to ear because this class makes me feel so happy and for the whole hour I forget my troubles. I look forward to going every Tuesday and will not miss a class.
“During the review we discovered that I had lost 15 and a half pounds, two inches off my thighs and one inch from my tummy. Great all round. I feel much more optimistic for future exercise and wellbeing.”

For more information on how you can get involved with Fit 4 Life visit www.fit4lifenotts.co.uk

Newstead Abbey secures funding for new exhibition space

Gedling Eye
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Newstead Abbey secures funding for new exhibition space
Newstead Abbey is to get a new permanent exhibition space after securing fresh funding.

The historic house has been awarded £75,000 to improve access to its collection with the new space which will be accessible to disabled visitors.

The grant has been awarded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Wolfson Foundation to Museums and Galleries across England to improve displays and facilities. It’s part of a £4m fund which will be used for renovation and improvement projects in 39 museums and galleries across England, allowing institutions to increase access, improve displays and enhance public spaces.

The funding for Newstead Abbey will be used for accessibility improvements, which include a public space that will house exhibitions on the history of Newstead and its occupants, with unique stories and collections on show.

The Newstead Abbey collection contains more than 4,600 items of furniture, books, costume, fine and decorative arts as well as archival and archaeological material. With the additional permanent exhibition space more collections can be made accessible to disabled visitors.

Councillor Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, said: “Over 100,000 people a year visit the grounds of Newstead, with 23,000 of them also visiting the house.

“We want to make sure that more people have the chance to experience the amazing history of the Abbey and although the nature of the building means the majority of the site is inaccessible to those with limited mobility, there is a very clear area of the building that has full mobility access.

We want to turn this into an engaging, fully accessible, interactive exhibition to tell the story of the Newstead, its inhabitants and to make the collections accessible to a wider audience.”

The museum service will work with partners, community and disability groups and visitors to develop an exhibition space that is fully accessible and an interactive exhibition.

Warning letters to be sent to illegal TV show and film streamers in Gedling borough this week

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Warning letters to be sent to illegal TV show and film streamers in Gedling borough this week
Homeowners in Gedling borough who illegally stream films and television shows could get warning letters from their internet providers this week.

Customers of Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk and Sky will be the first to receive the letters, which will be sent as part of a new pirating crackdown by the government.

The letters will this week land on the doorsteps of ISP customers thought to have downloaded copyrighted material without proper subscriptions.

The BBC has seen a sample letter, which they say will be headed with the customer’s telephone number.

It reads: “Get It Right from a Genuine Site’ has got in touch with us.

“Get it Right is a government-backed campaign acting for copyright owners who think their content’s been shared without their permission.

“It looks like someone has been using your broadband to share copyrighted material (that means things like music, films, sport or books).

“And as your broadband provider, we have to let you know when this happens.”

It then provides a list of the content in question and directs users to a website with “tips and advice on how to stop it happening again”.

The letters won’t fine customers who are targeted.

Instead, they will suggest other ways to watch the programmes legally.

Trespassing teens urged to stay away from ‘unsafe’ abandoned care home in Gedling

Gedling Eye
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Trespassing teens urged to stay away from ‘unsafe’ abandoned care home in Gedling
Police are warning people to stay away from an abandoned care home in Gedling after reports of trespassing over the past few days.

The police said they have received a number of calls about teenagers breaking into the old abandoned care home on the corner of Waverley Avenue in Gedling.

Waverley-carehome
WARNING: The abandoned care home in Waverley Avenue in Gedling

A spokesman for Notinghamshire Police said: “We have received a number of calls concerning teenagers aged between 14 and 16 years, breaking into the old care home on Waverley Avenue and causing damage.

“The care home is very unsafe and could cause serious injuries to those that enter.

They added: “This is also taking up a lot of police resources to respond to the incidents, as it is a criminal offence to be found in or causing damage to the premises.”

WhatsApp Sainsbury’s gift card scam warning to people in Gedling borough

Gedling Eye
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WhatsApp Sainsbury’s gift card scam warning to people in Gedling borough
WhatsApp users in Gedling borough are being warned about a new Sainsbury’s gift card scam that is currently being shared on the instant messaging app.

The message being circulated tells users they can get a £250 gift card if they fill in a survey and pass the message on to 10 of their friends.

However, there is no gift card and the message is actually a way for cyber thieves to gain personal data from unsuspecting users.

The supermarket giant has now posted a message on social message site Twitter which reads: “This isn’t an official Sainsbury’s communication and you should ignore/delete it without replying.”

Police hunt pair who approached woman in Colwick asking for mobile phone

Gedling Eye
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Police hunt pair who approached woman in Colwick asking for mobile phone
Police are appealing for information after a Colwick woman was approached by two people in a van asking for her mobile phone.

Nicola-Jayne Morley, who lives on Valeside Gardens, said she was approached by the pair as she walked along Vale Road with her son yesterday afternoon (12).

She told Gedling Eye “We were approached by a female and male in a white estate car and they were asking to use my phone.

“They kept trying to get our attention but we just walked off and the next thing we heard was shouting.”

Nicola claims the man then threatened to run them over before driving his car closely towards them.

She said: “I’ve ran into the road to get away from them but my son was in shock and was nearly hit.”

Nicola has now reported the incident to Nottinghamshire Police

A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire Police said: “Police were called at around 4pm yesterday to reports of a woman who’d been approached by a man and a woman in a car who’d asked to use her mobile phone on Vale Road in Colwick.

“She declined and says the car drove very close to where she was standing before heading towards Vale Road.

“Officers would be keen to speak the pair who are described as white and in their early 30s. The woman had dark curly brown hair and possibly an Irish accent. She was wearing white jeans, a dark top and plimsoll type trainers. The man had short dark hair and was wearing a dark blue jumper. It’s believed they were driving a white estate type car, possibly a Vauxhall which was dirty.

“If anyone recognises the descriptions or has any information that could help, please contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101 quoting incident 584 of 12 January 2017.”

Fate of former youth club building in Gedling to be discussed at meeting next month

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Fate of former youth club building in Gedling to be discussed at meeting next month
A public meeting is being held next month to discuss the fate of a former youth club building in Gedling village.

The meeting will take place on Friday, February 10 at Gedling Memorial Hall from 6.30pm and people will get the chance to have their say on proposals being put forward on how best to use the building on Shearing Hill.

It is hoped that a management committee is formed during the meeting to help move proposals forward.

Prior to the meeting, a display of information about the proposals will be available for people to view at Carlton Library on Manor Road from January 23.

Anyone wanting further information can contact Rick Wilson on 0115 9561385

Review: The Searchers at Lowdham Village Hall

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Review: The Searchers at Lowdham Village Hall
Formed in the late 1950s by guitarist John McNally, originally as a skiffle band, The Searchers became a key part of Mersey beat scene regularly occupying the upper echelons of the ‘hit parade’. Although it is decades since the group enjoyed chart success, they still play to sell out audiences as this packed out gig at Lowdham Village Hall demonstrated, writes Mark Salter

‘I hope you’re ready for a lot of singing,’ declared other long standing member, singer and bassist Frank Allen, ever present since 1964. As the band, immaculate in crisp suits, white shirts and black ties, reeled off hits, Sweets For My Sweet, Don’t Throw Your Love Away, Needles And Pins, Sugar and Spice, and Love Potion Number 9, Allen will not have been disappointed  with the fans’ efforts. Indeed, straight off the bat, Sweets For My Sweet initiated a call and response exchange between Allen and the audience.

The-Searchers
POPULAR: The Searchers at Lowdham Village Hall

The Searchers line up was completed by Spencer James (vocals and guitar) and Scott Ottaway (drums). However, it was Allen who commanded centre stage, engaging in banter with the audience and with McNally, who proved the butt of a few jokes. Not least when McNally launched into impromptu intros of several Buddy Holly numbers before leading the band and punters in a lively rendition of Peggy Sue.  Covers of a similar vintage were The Premiers’ Farmer John, Runaway, originally by touring pal Del Shannon, and Twist And Shout. However, perhaps the most stirring was James’ take on Roy Orbison’s Running Scared, big shoes to fill vocally but James did more than acquit himself.

‘Roger McGuinn (lead singer of the Byrds) said in the press that they were more influenced by us than The Beatles back in the day,’ confided Allen with the group now in black shirts and maroon ties after a quick costume change. He then orchestrated a sing-along to the Byrds’s version of Mr Tambourine Man. Seven Nights To Rock saw choreographed clapping and pointing from the knowing fans, whilst James’ take on Bette Midler’s The Rose added a gentler contrast for no other reason than, ‘it’s just a great song.’

As is traditional at Searchers concerts, all was brought to a crescendo with a medley of the big hits.

‘We’re not packing up any time soon, so hopefully we’ll see you here in the future! Perhaps we can bring our Christmas show. That’s always good fun.’

No one was contradicting the sentiment.

Parish council urge residents to back proposals for Colwick play area revamp

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Parish council urge residents to back proposals for Colwick play area revamp
A parish council is urging residents to back plans to fund the regeneration of a local park.

Colwick Parish Council is hoping to apply for WREN funding to revamp Valeside Gardens park in the village

They hope to get £50,000 funding to help make the park a great place for children to play and for people to socialise.

The proposals for the park revamp are currently on display in the main hall of the community centre in the village and local people are being urged to look and have their say before the bid goes forward.

Alison Nunn, a councillor on Colwick Parish Council, said: “Please take a look at these plans and add your name to the petition, so we can make a good case to Gedling Borough Council for the WREN funding application that we are in dire need of.

park-proposals
PLANS: How the revamped park on Valeside Gardens could look like if a grant is approved

“We are always hearing comments as to why other parts of Gedling borough have great play areas, and we don’t. It’s because these people work together and put a good case forward.

She added: “If we as a community don’t do this then we will not have a shiny new play area and our children cannot play near their homes.”

The parish council are asking residents to sign the petition at the community centre or share their views on the proposals by emailing alisonnunn@hotmail.com

You can visit their Facebook page HERE

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