Apple are today warning iPhone users in Gedling borough of a scam targeting its customers.
The new phishing scam aims to take advantage of unaware iPhone users as scammers attempt to send them requests for personal information.
Victims of this scam have reported receiving texts from a number claiming to be an official Apple account called “iSupport”.
The scam warns iPhone owners that their iCloud account has been deactivated and asks them to head to an external website and re-enter their personal details.
The message then prompts the user for personal details, writing: “To reactivate your account confirm your details here.”
The text message will then take people to a fake Apple login page, which will ask victims for an Apple ID and password.
A new message that has appeared on Apple’s website explains the dangers.
Apple said: “The iTunes Store will never ask you to provide personal information or sensitive account information (such as passwords or credit card numbers) via email.
“Email messages that contain attachments or links to non-Apple websites are from sources other than Apple, although they may appear to be from the iTunes Store.
“Most often, these attachments are malicious and should not be opened.
“You should never enter your Apple account information on any non-Apple website.”
To report spam or other suspicious emails that you have received in your iCloud.com, me.com or mac.com inbox, please send them to abuse@icloud.com.
CLOSED: The Station Hotel in Newstead shut its doors for the last time two years ago (image courtesy of Google)
A woman from Newstead has launched a petition in the hope locals will back her plans to launch a new micropub in the village.
The village’s only pub, The Station Hotel, closed two years ago, which means residents now have to travel to Annesley Woodhouse for a drink.
Now Lorraine Horrocks has launched an online petition to encourage locals to get behind her idea of establishing a micropub at the village’s sports pavilion – which she says is hardly used.
She said: “Our village has over 1300 adult residents who have little means of connecting with others in their community.
“Our only village pub closed two years ago and is earmarked for demolition despite government policy which states such facilities should be protected in recognition of the vital role they play in communities.
“Driven by the passion I have for this community, I have devised a business plan to establish a micropub with the intention of getting people out of their houses and bringing this community back together.
“It will be a place where people can socialise after a hard day’s work over a pint or two, a place where people can enjoy the cricket matches on a Saturday afternoon and a place where we can reduce the current social isolation faced by many.”
Lorraine has selected the Newstead Sports Pavilion to house her latest venture which she says stands empty for the majority of the year.
Lorraine added: “The petition will demonstrate to Gedling Borough Council and elected members that this community is in favour of this and demand that elected members represent the views of their constituents, support entrepreneurship and allow the pavilion to be leased for use as a micropub to serve its community.”
INSIGHT: (l to r) MP Vernon Coaker, Guide Dogs Mobility Instructor Pete Holdaway, Cllr John Clarke and Mobility Instructor Mary Heffer
Trying to get around the streets of Arnold town centre on a daily basis if you’re blind or visually impaired can be a challenge.
And yesterday MP Vernon Coaker and leader of Gedling Borough Council, John Clarke, experienced what it was like to walk through one of the busiest streets in the town yesterday (29) without being able to see – with only a guide dog to lead the way.
Both undertook a blindfold walk with a guide dog and a long cane to raise awareness of how everyday pavement objects can be hazardous for people with sight loss.
Mr Coaker and Mr Clarke donned blindfolds from High Street, Arnold and headed onto the shopping precinct. They experienced what it is like to navigate a level surface, which pedestrians and vehicles can use at the same time without there being any physical cues like kerbs to inform a person with sight loss that they are entering a shared surface zone. They also negotiated advertising boards and other pavement hazards such as items displayed outside shops.
Charity Guide Dogs is campaigning for clearer footpaths to help pedestrians with a visual impairment to feel more confident in navigating their environment. Cars parked on pavements, wheelie bins, and advertising boards outside shops are just a few of the moving objects that can cause problems and distress. These items can unnecessarily force someone out on to the road and into oncoming traffic. If that person is blind, disabled, elderly or a child they may not be able to confidently negotiate when it would be safe to do so.
CHALLENGE: MP Vernon Coaker, Guide Dogs Mobility Instructor Pete Holdaway, Cllr John Clarke with guide dog Layla at Guide Dogs Blindfold Walk
Vernon Coaker MP said: “Undertaking the walk with a guide dog and a long cane really highlighted to me how everyday objects can cause major issues for someone with sight loss.
“We rely so much on our sight to negotiate around objects but without that sense it can become a minefield. As a community we all need to take more responsibility to keep the footpath clear and to ensure that objects are placed in a systematic approach so they’re easier to navigate.”
Cllr John Clarke added: “Although I know this area extremely well wearing the blindfold was disorientating. I can imagine that being faced with an unexpected object it could easily force someone from their route and in the wrong direction, causing distress.
“Experiencing how someone with sight loss would get cues from the environment such as a kerb edge, tactile paving or crossing point has been invaluable. Particularly in relation to when someone would get information on when it is safe to cross a level surface.”
Gedling Borough Council is committed to making Gedling a more inclusive and embracing location. As part of this they have a policy advisor specifically dedicated to equality, Cllr Roxanne Ellis, who is working with Guide Dogs to help make the borough more accessible for people with sight loss.
Kelly France, engagement officer for Guide Dogs, commented: “Street clutter is a real problem for people with a visual impairment, as 97% of people who are blind or partially sighted regularly encounter problems with pavement obstacles, such as shop advertising boards or pavement café furniture.
“Poorly parked vehicles that block some or the entire pavement cause problems for many pedestrians. It can force people who are blind or partially sighted, parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users, and many others, to walk into the road and into the path of oncoming traffic.
“Research undertaken by Guide Dogs on shared surface streets has shown that 9 out of 10 people with sight loss were concerned about shared surfaces and 6 out of 10 said they avoid them or are very reluctant to use them.”
People in Gedling village are being given the chance to help decide the fate of a building that used to house a popular youth centre.
The Old Station, off Shearing Hill, was home to Gedling Youth Centre for many years, but after the club stopped using the building several years ago, it has remained empty.
Now a meeting is being held to give local residents a chance to have a say about where its future lies.
DISCUSSION: People in Gedling have the chance to decide the fate of the former youth centre building
He said: “The purpose of the meeting is to find a consensus of local feeling as to what might be done with the building and the site taking into account the legal requirements outlined when the original trust was set up to run the youth club. The assets of this centre should remain for the benefit of the local community.”
The meeting will be held on Friday, May 6, at Gedling Memorial Hall, in Main Street, at 7.30pm
OFFER: Scammers are using Facebook to recruit people to sell fake items on eBay
Facebook users in Gedling borough are being recruited to sell empty cereal boxes or no goods at all which they believe to be items such as Apple MacBooks and other electrical items.
The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) and Action Fraud say they have noticed a rise in victims being recruited via the social media site to sell items for suspects on eBay – often stating that it is a quick way of making money.
The items are said to be bankrupt stock, purchased via auctions, and need to be sold on quickly. The majority of the items reported have been Apple Mac Book Pro/Electrical Items.
The victim places the items on eBay and once the items are sold, the victim will get paid and transfer the funds to the suspect/recruiter.
Once the suspect/recruiter gets the funds, the purchasers are claiming that they have received empty cereal boxes or often no goods at all, leaving the victim being reported as the actual suspect, and leaving them out of pocket as their account will be debited.
Protect yourself:
Consider conducting research on other information provided by the seller, for example: a mobile phone number or email address could alert you to negative information associated with the number/email address online.
Be very cautious of unsolicited emails or approaches over social media promising opportunities to make easy money.
When accepting offers, verify the company/entity details provided to you and check whether they have been registered in the UK.
If you think the deal or offer is too good to be true then it probably is!
If you, or anyone you know, have been affected by this fraud or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.
PRAISE: Passengers rated the Gedling Voluntary Transport Service highly in a new survey
A transport service for elderly and disabled people in Gedling borough has been given the thumbs up by passengers in a recent survey.
The Gedling Voluntary Transport Service, which is used by residents who find it difficult to use public transport, was rated as “excellent” by over two thirds of people who took part in the annual satisfaction survey. The rest rated the service as “good” or “very good”.
The survey was sent out this spring and over 70 replies were received.
This is the first year the service has been run by Rushcliffe CVS and feedback proves that it is a much-valued service.
Many passengers use the service to get to health appointments, followed by visiting friends or relatives, for social outings, going to the hairdressers and shopping.
Carolyn Perry, chief executive of Rushcliffe Community and Voluntary Service (CVS), who runs the service said: “The voluntary transport scheme is a vital lifeline for our passengers.
“We are delighted that each year they rate the service so highly. This is in no small part to the fabulous voluntary drivers who transport passenger to and from their destination and provide a friendly service. “
“The survey very clearly indicates passengers highly value the scheme and it improves their quality of life immensely.”
Gedling Voluntary Transport Service relies on the goodwill and reliability of its drivers. There is a desperate shortage of drivers throughout the Gedling borough area.
Carolyn Perry added: “We would love to expand the scheme and take on more passengers, but to do this we need more drivers.
“If anyone has any spare time one day a week, can drive a car, has a clean licence and loves helping older people, then we would be very pleased if they got in touch. Drivers are paid 45p per mile and use their own vehicle.
“Drivers also undergo a DBS check to ensure they are suitable people to take our passengers.”
Anyone who would like to be a volunteer driver should email gedlingtransport@rushcliffecvs.org.uk or call during officer hours for more details on 0115 969 9060.
The curtain’s up for current Mayor of Gedling Meredith Lawrence as he prepares to host his final fundraiser this May.
Cllr Lawrence will be taking to the stage, along with a range of talented local performers, as part of the Mayor’s Last Stand – the annual talent show marking the end of each mayor’s year in office.
He will be singing alongside fellow members of the Colwick Theatre Club.
MAYOR: Meredith Lawrence
The Mayor’s Last Stand will be at the Bonington Theatre in Arnold on Saturday, May 21 from 7pm. Tickets are just £8 and all proceeds will go to the Mayor’s chosen charity We R Here.
Those attending will enjoy various musical and theatre performances from local groups, including Leah Dance Troupe, the Nottingham Ukulele Orchestra and Savinnah Quelcuti singing songs from the shows. As well as the arts, there will also be an OMAC Karate Demonstration to pack a punch.
Another familiar face taking to the stage is Cllr Sarah Hewson, who will wow the crowds with her ‘One of Us’ ABBA tribute act.
Mayor of Gedling Councillor Lawrence said: “I hope that people come along and support my last fundraising event as Mayor. We’ve got a brilliant evening of entertainment lined up and there’s something everyone can enjoy, whilst supporting We R Here, a worthy local charity.”
CLEANER: East Midlands Trains has invested in providing cleaner trains across its network
Train passengers using Carlton, Netherfield and Burton Joyce stations are now benefiting from cleaner trains and stations as part of a £13 million investment programme to provide better journeys
East Midlands Trains is providing new cleaning teams to carry out deep cleaning at stations right across the network. This involves using heavy duty cleaning equipment to jet wash platforms and pathways, cleaning harder to reach areas more frequently as well as helping existing station teams to tidy larger waiting rooms, ticket offices and station concourses and booking halls.
In addition, extra staff will be working on trains to and from London, cleaning 60 trains every day for the thousands of passengers who use these services.
The most recent National Rail Passenger Survey found 87% of passengers were satisfied with the cleanliness of East Midlands Trains stations and 84% were satisfied with the cleanliness of train carriages – both above the national average for similar train operators.
Andrew Conroy, Acting Customer Experience Director for East Midlands Trains, said: “We know how important it is to passengers that our trains and stations are clean and tidy. That is why we are investing to make sure they are cleaned even more frequently.
“Our deep clean teams will be carrying out intensive cleaning at stations across our route – as well as assisting our existing station teams to clean larger areas, such as booking halls and larger waiting rooms. Meanwhile, our extra staff on trains will be cleaning 60 trains every day, and passengers will see them on more trains, more often.”
SIGNATURE: The Maths textbook belonging to Constance Chatterley
Could the original owner of a 19th century maths textbook have been the inspiration for D.H Lawrence’s legendary literary creation Lady Chatterley?
That’s what organisers of an upcoming charity sale in Carlton are trying to find out after stumbling across the unusual book amongst donations.
The textbook, which is dated 1899, belonged to a Constance Chatterley, who was born in the same year as renowned author, Lawrence. She also lived in Eastwood around the same time.
The rare find was amongst items donated to the Federation of Masked Booksellers for their charity book sale, ExLibris, which begins this weekend.
The team, intrigued by their find, began carrying out research to find out more about the Constance, using a genealogy website and found her details very intriguing.
Records from 1891 show that a seven-year-old Constance Chatterley, born in Greasley, lived in a house with her parents in Eastwood. Interestingly, her father and Lawrence’s both worked at the local colliery in Brinsley.
The 1901 census shows the family are still residing in Eastwood. Constance now lives in the house with her parents, a sister, baby brother and also a servant. Her father, George, is now a company accountant.
Ten years later Constance is 27, still single, and still living with her parents and little brother Leslie George. George Chatterley is a now colliery accountant; Constance has no occupation listed.
Constance Chatterley died in February 1951 at the City Hospital. Her brother Leslie George administered her affairs and she left over £6,500 – a considerable sum. She had been living at Hawton Crescent, Wollaton.
Chris Cann, one of the book sale’s organisers, said: “We’ve been really excited by find, and speculation is rife. A favourite theory amongst the team is that Lawrence had a crush on Constance as they were about the same age, but she rejected him because of class differences – or so he perceived. Years later he got his own back in a particularly imaginative way.”
This book will be one of the raffle prize drawn at the end of the mega charity book sale which takes place over the next two weekends at 16,Vernon Avenue, Carlton. Tickets for the raffle are £1 or 5 for £4. Those wearing a mask to the book sale, which is run by the Federation of Masked Booksellers, you can ask for a free ticket.
