Two health chiefs have handed in a letter to the government calling for an extension of the water fluoridation scheme in Notts.
Cllr John Doddy, chair of the Nottinghamshire Health and Wellbeing Board and Councillor Linda Woodings, Chair of Nottingham City Health and Wellbeing Board, and their respective Directors of Public Health, Jonathan Gribbin and Lucy Hubber, are campaigning for a water fluoridation scheme across the county and the city to be expanded.
As part of the campaign, Cllr Doddy and Jonathan Gribbin hand-delivered a letter, on behalf of all the partners, to the Department of Health and Social Care in London, seeking approval from the Secretary of State for the extension of the water fluoridation scheme.
Experts say water fluoridation has been shown to reduce the likelihood and extent of tooth decay in both adults and children.
In Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, children’s dental health is worse than in many other parts of the country and in the UK tooth decay is the most common reason for children between the ages of six and ten to be admitted to hospital.
Across city and county there is an annual average of over 750 hospital admissions for tooth extractions in children and young people.
Some parts of the county are already covered by water fluoridation schemes, while other areas and Nottingham City are not.
Campaigners say that expanding the water fluoridation scheme to cover the city and the whole county will ensure that everyone has equal access to a key public health measure that supports good oral health.
All water contains low levels of fluoride in varying amounts. In Nottinghamshire, the level of fluoride occurring naturally in water is low. Water fluoridation involves adjusting the level of fluoride in water to one part per million, which is best for dental health, strengthening teeth and keeping them healthy.
It is estimated that introducing fluoride into drinking water will see a significant reduction in decayed, missing and filled teeth in five-year-olds and an increase in the number of five years olds with no tooth decay at all, as well as a reduction in the number of children admitted to hospital for tooth extraction surgery.
Reviews of studies across the world show that water fluoridation is a safe and effective public health measure.
Cllr John Doddy, Chair of Nottinghamshire Health and Wellbeing Board said: “I am committed to working with our partners locally, including the Integrated Care Board and Severn Trent Water, to improve the oral health of our local population. Too many people need to go to hospital to have teeth extracted because of decay and this includes young children. This should not be happening, particularly when we have the means to do something about it.
“Introducing or expanding a water fluoridation scheme requires approval from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and on behalf of our partners, Jonathan Gribbin and I have hand delivered a letter to the Department for Health and Social Care, which has been co-signed by partners, asking for the scheme to be extended across the city and the county.”
Cllr Linda Woodings, Chair of Nottingham City Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “The health of our teeth is important for all of us, as it affects what we eat, how we communicate and our self-confidence.
“Tooth decay and poor oral health remain a serious issue, but by taking preventive action by adding fluoride to drinking water, we can help to significantly reduce tooth cavities. This can lead to fewer admissions into hospital for tooth extractions, help reduce the number of missed days off school and work, and support people later in life to stay independent for longer.
“We remain committed to working with our partners to reduce the risks of decay and alongside other interventions, fluoridation of water can be an effective measure that can help improve oral health, benefitting all.”
Dr Kathy McLean, Chair of the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Partnership, said: “We want to do everything we can to prevent ill health so people can live healthier lives for as long as possible. This is one of our key principles as health and care organisations working together. The effect of fluoridation on reducing rates of hospital admission for tooth extraction is substantial, with the impact being greatest for those from more deprived areas.”
If the Secretary of State agrees to explore the expansion of the current water fluoridation schemes, a detailed feasibility study would be undertaken by the water company and an extensive public consultation with all stakeholders would take place.
Funding to support grassroots sports in Gedling borough has been welcomed by an MP.
Gedling MP Tom Randall said grants totalling almost £94,000 demonstrated the government’s commitment to helping local clubs and organisations in Gedling.
The Conservative MP said a number of clubs had been beneficiaries of funding.
Mr Randall said:“There is a clear link between feeling your best, both mentally and physically, and exercising regularly. That is why I welcome the news that the Government is helping people across Gedling get active by investing into our grassroots sports facilities.
“As part of the Conservative Government’s multi-sports grassroots facilities programme, £91,279 was allocated to Gedling last year for new changing rooms and pitch upgrades on Lambley Lane in Gedling village.
“This year, £1,312 has been allocated towards new goalposts at Arnold’s George Street Recreation Ground for Ernehale Colts FC and £605 towards additional storage for Willow Wanderers FC at Carlton le Willows Academy.
“The Government is sticking to its plan to make sure everyone can access the facilities they need to live an active and healthy lifestyle and I am pleased Gedling is receiving funding to help make that happen locally, with hopefully more to come next year.”
Sports Minister Stuart Andrew said:“Sport and physical activity are vital to our mental health and wellbeing, and each year thousands of people make a New Year’s resolution to exercise more.
“We know that one of the major barriers in getting active is having access to high-quality sports facilities, which is why we are upgrading 1,100 more pitches, backed by investing £93 million.
“This Government has delivered thousands of new projects across the UK with the aim of getting over 120,000 more people to get active, helping us to make big strides towards meeting our ambitious target of 3.5 million more people active by 2030.”
Gedling borough patients suffering from common illnesses including earache, sinusitis and a sore throat may be able to get treatment and prescription-only medicines from pharmacies from today – without the need for a GP appointment.
The NHS Pharmacy First service believes it will be able to save up to 10 million general practice appointments a year by offering adults and children quicker and more convenient care for some complaints.
Seven common ailments, identified by the NHS, can now be treated by pharmacies signed up to the scheme, who will be able to examine patients and supply any required medicine.
The health service says more than 10,000 pharmacies have registered to be involved so far – including 1,400 in Boots stores – with further expansion expected as the scheme gets underway from this week.
The initiative also builds on growing pharmacy involvement in patient care – where many branches already offer blood pressure checks and contraception services – says the Department of Health.
Ear infections, infected insect bites, skin condition Impetigo, shingles and sore throats are among the issues patients will be able to see a participating pharmacist for.
While women will also be able to seek help and treatment for ‘uncomplicated’ urinary tract infections.
People who are unwell with one of these suspected conditions will either be able to walk directly into a participating pharmacy without an appointment or could find themselves referred there via other NHS services such as 111, urgent treatment centres or GP surgeries themselves.
Age is also a factor in who will be offered help via this route – with the NHS producing clear guidelines on how old children and adults will need to be, depending on the illness, in order to be examined by a pharmacist.
One Lifetells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker played by Johnny Flynn, who, along with Trevor Chadwick (played by Alex Sharp) and Doreen Warinner (played by Romola Garai) of the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia, rescued 669 children from the Nazis in the months leading up to World War II,. Nicky visited Prague in December 1938 and found families who had fled the rise of the Nazis in Germany and Austria, living in desperate conditions with little or no shelter and food, and under threat of Nazi invasion. He immediately realised it was a race against time.
How many children could he and the team rescue before the borders closed? Fifty years later, it’s 1988 and Nicky (played by Anthony Hopkins) lives haunted by the fate of the children he wasn’t able to bring to safety in England; always blaming himself for not doing more. It’s not until a live BBC television show, ‘That’s Life!’, surprises him by introducing him to some surviving children – now adults – that he finally begins to come to terms with the guilt and grief he had carried for five decades.
“Anthony Hopkins is stirring as the ‘British Schindler’ who saved 600 Jewish children” Telegraph ★★★★
Event Cinema: Kinky Boots: The Musical (12A)
Thu 1 & Sun 4 February
Kinky Boots The Musical, filmed live at the Adelphi Theatre in the heart of London’s West End, is strutting back onto the big screen!
With songs from Grammy and Tony award winning pop icon Cindy Lauper, book by legendary Broadway playwright Harvey Fierstein (La Cage Aux Folles), and direction and choreography by Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde, Hairspray), the musical is based on the film written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth.
Inspired by true events, this huge-hearted hit tells the story of two people with nothing in common – or so they think. Charlie (Killian Donnelly) is a factory owner struggling to save his family business, and Lola (Matt Henry) is a fabulous entertainer with a wildly exciting idea. With a little compassion and a lot of understanding, this unexpected pair learn to embrace their differences and create a line of sturdy stilettos unlike any the world has ever seen! But in the end, their most sensational achievement is their friendship.
This unmissable musical theatre event celebrates a joyous story of British grit transforming into a high-heeled hit as it takes you from the factory floor of Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan!
2hrs 12 mins including an interval
Event Cinema:National Theatre Live: Dear England (15)
Sat 3 February at 1.30pm
Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale) plays Gareth Southgate in James Graham’s (Sherwood) gripping examination of nation and game. The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t England’s men win at their own game?
With the worst track record for penalties in the world, Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt, to take team and country back to the promised land.
Filmed live on stage at the National Theatre, Rupert Goold (Judy) directs this spectacular new play.
Dear England a new play James Graham Directed by Rupert Goold
Event Cinema: ROH Live: Manon (U)
Wed 7 & Sun 11 February
This adaptation of Abbé Prévost’s novel embodies Kenneth MacMillan at his best, his acute insight into human psychology and his mastery of narrative choreography finding full expression in the impassioned duets of the central couple, visceral and urgent in their desire.
The heroine’s struggle to escape poverty make Manon one of the most dramatic and devastating of ballets, emphasized by Nicholas Georgiadis’ evocative designs that reflect the juxtaposition between Manon’s impoverished origins and the lavish world she longs to inhabit. The 2023/24 Season celebrates the centenary of Nicholas Georgiadis.
BALLET Music – Jules Massenet Choreography – Kenneth Macmillan
Migration (U)
Fri 9 – Sun 25 February
Illumination, creators of the blockbuster Minions, Despicable Me, Sing and The Secret Life of Pets comedies, invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, Migration.
Priscilla (15)
Fri 9, Sat 10 & Tue 13 February
The iconic Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation) returns with PRISCILLA, a deeply felt and ravishingly detailed portrait of love, fantasy and fame. Starring Golden Globe nominee Cailee Spaeny and Saltburn’s Jacob Elordi, Coppola’s film presents the unseen story of Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s long courtship and turbulent marriage. Their romance is a great American myth that spans decades and oceans, from the army base where they met to his dream-world estate at Graceland.
Faithfully adapting Priscilla’s own memoir, and anchored by Spaeny’s Venice Best Actress winning performance, this is a mature and masterful cinematic feast for the senses that sees Coppola at the very top of her game.
“Is this already the best film of 2024?” The i ★★★★★
Guardian ★★★★ Telegraph ★★★★ Times ★★★★
Catch-up Screenings: Wonka (PG)
Monday 12 & Tuesday 13 February
Based on the extraordinary character at the centre of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl’s most iconic children’s book and one of the best-selling children’s books of all time, Wonka tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.
“Timothée Chalamet’s Chocolate Factory prequel is a superbly sweet treat” Guardian ★★★★★
“The most fun you’ll have in a cinema all year” Telegraph ★★★★★
Event Cinema: My Favourite Things: Rodgers and Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert
Wed 14, Sat 17 & Sun 18 February
Featuring a 40-piece orchestra and international stars of the stage and screen, this special anniversary concert was filmed at London’s newly restored Theatre Royal Drury Lane – the same venue that premiered the original West End productions of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific and The King and I.
Featuring a star-studded cast including Joanna Ampil, Michael Ball, Maria Friedman, Daniel Dae Kim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Audra McDonald, Rita Moreno, Julian Ovenden, Lucy St. Louis, Aaron Tveit, Marisha Wallace and Patrick Wilson, the landmark event was accompanied by the 40-piece Rodgers & Hammerstein Concert Orchestra, conducted by Simon Lee.
Directed and staged by Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Christopher Gattelli (Broadway’s The King and I, South Pacific), the celebration of the historic partnership of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II showcases original arrangements of the most iconic songs from Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, Cinderella, The Sound of Music and more!
The Boys and the Boat (12A)
Fri 16 – Thu 22 February
The Boys in the Boat is a sports drama based on the #1 New York Times bestselling non-fiction book written by Daniel James Brown. The film, directed by George Clooney, is about the 1936 University of Washington rowing team that competed for gold at the Summer Olympics in Berlin. This inspirational true story follows a group of underdogs at the height of the Great Depression as they are thrust into the spotlight and take on elite rivals from around the world.
The Holdovers (15)
Fri 16 – Wed 21 February
From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, The Holdovers follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da’Vine Joy Randolph).
“Hilarious and heartfelt, it’s a tale to be treasured” Empire ★★★★★
Guardian ★★★★ Times ★★★★ Telegraph ★★★★
Nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor (Paul Giamatti) and Best Supporting Actress (Da’Vine Joy Randolph)
Fat Choi Spiritfollows the adventures of a compulsive Mahjong player named Andy and his aging mother, estranged brother, loyal ex-girlfriend and a local gang.
When an environmental crisis sees London submerged by flood waters, a young family is torn apart in the chaos. As a woman (Jodie Comer) and her newborn try and find their way home, the profound novelty of motherhood is brought into sharp focus in this intimate and poetic portrayal of family survival.
“Jodie Comer shines in all too believable disaster drama” Guardian ★★★★
Times ★★★★ Telegraph ★★★★
All of us Strangers (15)
Fri 23 – Thu 29 February
One night in his near-empty tower block in contemporary London, Adam (Andrew Scott) has a chance encounter with a mysterious neighbour Harry (Paul Mescal), which punctures the rhythm of his everyday life.
As a relationship develops between them, Adam is preoccupied with memories of the past and finds himself drawn back to the suburban town where he grew up, and the childhood home where his parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell), appear to be living, just as they were on the day they died, 30 years before.
“It shimmers and it aches” Telegraph ★★★★★
“A beautiful romance ” Guardian ★★★★★
Times ★★★★ Little White Lies ★★★★
Event Cinema: National Theatre Live: Vanya (15)
Fri 23 & Sun 25 February
Andrew Scott (Fleabag) brings multiple characters to life in Simon Stephens’ (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) radical new version of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya.
Hopes, dreams, and regrets are thrust into sharp focus in this one-man adaptation which explores the complexities of human emotions.
Filmed live during its sold-out run in London’s West End, Vanya will be playing exclusively in cinemas in 2024.
“The performance of the year” The i ★★★★★
Vanya adapted by Simon Stephens, after Anton Chekhov directed by Sam Yates designed by Rosanna Vize
Peppa’s Cinema Party (U)
Fri 23 – Wed 28 February
Come on everybody it’s time for Peppa’s Cinema Party! This year Peppa Pig celebrates her 20th anniversary and to mark such a HUGE occasion she is throwing the MOST EPIC PARTY EVER – and all of her friends are INVITED! (That’s YOU!) Featuring the voices of Katy Perry as Ms. Leopard and Orlando Bloom as Mr. Raccoon in an episode of the 3-part Wedding Party story, the whole family can enjoy 10 never-before-seen Peppa Pig episodes!
And with 5 brand new songs, as well as 11 interactive entertainment shorts with Peppa and her friends playing, dancing and singing in the real world, you and your little ones will be moving and grooving with Peppa in a whole new way! So grab your coat and jump into your boots, let’s be on our way to the Peppa Cinema Party!
The Color Purple (12A)
Mon 26 – Thu 29 February
A woman’s painful journey of self-realisation sees her face prejudice, abuse and sexual violence in this musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel, featuring jubilant and defiant songs in the face of challenging themes.
“A joy to watch” BBC ★★★★
Nominated for1 Academy Award– BestSupporting Actress (Danielle Brooks)
Event Cinema: Exhibition on Screen: Painting the Modern Garden- From Monet to Matisse
Tue 27 February at 7.30pm & Mon 4 – Wed 6 March
Based on the sell-out show at the Royal Academy of Arts, London
Claude Monet was an avid horticulturist and arguably the most important painter of gardens in the history of art, but he was not alone. Great artists like Van Gogh, Bonnard, Sorolla, Sargent, Pissarro and Matisse all saw the garden as a powerful subject for their art. These great artists, along with many other famous names, feature in an innovative and extensive exhibition from the Royal Academy of Art, London. For lovers of art or lovers of gardens, this is an ideal film.
Cinema prices are very competitive, with tickets at £6.80, and concessions at £5.80. Concessions are open to those Under 18, Students with valid student ID, and over 60s. On Tuesday’s, cinema tickets are just £5
Plans for three new ‘barrow’ memorial structures on a burial ground in Calverton are to be considered by Gedling Borough Council.
Barrows are mounds which offer a natural alternative to modern memorials and cemeteries. They are often used for cremated remains.
The application for the barrows has now been received from Alasdair Thorne of Marrons, Nottingham acting as agent on behalf of A W Lymn The Family Funeral Service, Nottingham.
The applicant seeks permission to construct two open round barrows and a grass-covered barrow for the placement of cremation urns, access path and landscaping on land off Georges Lane in Calverton.
The application dated Friday, Dec 22, 2023 has been validated by Gedling Borough Council planners and they will now decide on the application.
A planning statement provided by Marrons forming part of the full planning application states that the site relates to 0.33 hectares of land within the Georges Lane Cemetery which benefits from extant permission (2022/0006) for a burial space comprising a mix of traditional, natural and woodland types, the erection of a facilities building and associated car park providing 18 vehicle spaces (4 disabled) and a further overflow parking area for 12 vehicles.
IMAGE: Courtesy of Gedling Borough Council planningIMAGE: Courtesy of Gedling Borough Council planning
The planning statement further states that the barrows have been re-located and re-orientated from previous proposals to ensure the grass covered barrow (barrow 3) sits within an existing hollow in the landscape and is buried into the rising topography.
Details in the application advise that the three barrows provide a combined 756 niches where urns can be placed and offer families ‘regular access to an attractive place of solitude to remember and celebrate their loved ones’.
The application states that the barrows have been carefully designed to each offer a differing experience and cemetery use including a reflection pool and bearer stone in the first barrow, a green area complete with a central tree in the second barrow and path to the covered third barrow.
Further details contained within the planning document state that the proposal has been subject to significant discussion and engagement with council officers and have been relocated to ensure the grass-covered barrow is placed within an existing depression in the landscape to mitigate any impacts.
Significantly, the wall height of the open barrows has been reduced above existing ground level to 2m, a level acceptable under permitted development, and the covered barrow has been reduced to a rise of less than 6m (a reduction from 9m in previous proposals) which has been blended into the landscape.
Further details regarding Planning Application 2023/0913 can be accessed HERE.
The team at Gedling borough’s iconic Woodborough Hall have expressed their delight in being able to host award-winning author, Elly Griffiths at an event organised by Lowdham based The Bookcase, (winners of the Muddy Stilettos best bookshop award) on Friday February 9 at 7.30pm.
Elly Griffiths is the author of the popular Dr Ruth Galloway mysteries, the Brighton mysteries and the Justice series. Elly who has won the Edgar and Dagger awards for her novels teaches at Cambridge University and West Dean College.
Elly will be talking about her latest novel The Last Word, a twisty, standalone mystery that reintroduces the glorious characters we met in the bestselling The Postscript Murders.
Elly was born in London in 1963 and her family moved to Brighton when she was five.
On her website Elly says: ‘I loved Brighton and still do – the town, the surrounding countryside and, most of all, the sea. I went to local state schools and wrote my first book when I was a 11, a murder mystery set in Rottingdean, near the village where I still live.’
Readers know her as Elly Griffiths however her real name is Domenica de Rosa and she has written four books under that name. It was her agent who said, after reading the first Dr. Ruth Galloway book – ‘This is crime. You need a crime name.’ and that’s how Domenica became Elly Griffiths. (Courtesy of https://ellygriffiths.co.uk/about-me/)
The evening with Elly, is part of an exciting programme of events in the diary at the Hall, which re-opened under new ownership in November 2023. Others include murder mysteries, Faulty Towers, magicians and Live and Let Dine.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Woodborough HallPHOTO: Courtesy of Woodborough HallPHOTO: Courtesy of Woodborough Hall
Woodborough Hall has recently been awarded a five star rating on TripAdvisor. The venue has five restaurant and coffee areas, which are perfect for hosting weddings and events. There is also a full service dining menu including lunch, afternoon tea, coffee and an evening dining menu. Five beautifully refurbished bedrooms are also available for those wishing to stay.
Further information regarding Elly Griffiths can be accessed on Elly’s website HERE
Tickets are available for the event from The Bookcase with the offer of a pre event dinner at The Hall: Box Office: 0115 966 3219 or via The Bookcase website HERE.
Woodborough Hall is located at 1 Bank Hill, Woodborough, Nottingham, NG14 6EE and can be contacted by email at enquiries@woodborough-hall.co.uk, by phone on Tel:0115 8222161 or via their website HERE.
Police have seized suspected Class A and cash during morning raids on properties in Arnold.
Officers carried out the intelligence-led raids at addresses in High Street and Front Street.
A suspect was also detained at an address on Patricia Drive in the town.
An property in Quorn Road, Basford was also raided.
Six people were arrested and a large quantity of suspected Class A drugs were recovered.
Five suspects have been released on bail and one remains in police custody as investigations continue.
Detective Sergeant Christopher Mavers, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This a very large policing operation involving more than 20 officers and I am pleased we were able to bring so many suspects into custody at the same time.
“Drug related crime is a blight on our communities and something we are working hard every day to tackle with a mixture of overt and covert actions.
“Investigations into this matter have been going on for some time and will continue over the coming weeks and months.”
The following people were arrested:
A 74-year-old man on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and acquiring criminal property
A 55-year-old man on suspicion of being involved in the supply of Class A drugs
A 50-year-old man on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and acquiring criminal property
A 41-year-old man on suspicion of acquiring criminal property
Another 41-year-old man on suspicion of money laundering and an offence under the Proceeds of Crime Act
A 23-year-old woman on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply.
Detective Sergeant Mavers added: “Anyone with additional information is asked to call 101 or Crimestoppers in confidence.”
CORRECTION: We stated that a property on Patricia Drive was raided and this was incorrect. Police detained a person at the property but did not carry out a raid.
A roofer from Burton Joyce who fell 35ft and landed on concrete has thanked the Nottingham University Hospital (NUH) teams who nursed him back to health and taught him to walk again.
58-year-old Simon Bell was working on a roof in May 2023 when he fell from the two-storey building.
The roofer suffered a brain injury, internal bleeding and damage to his internal organs, and had fractured his shoulder and broken all of his ribs on the right-hand side.
He explained that he doesn’t remember the accident or his first six weeks in hospital.
Simon said: “I’ve been told that the customer came out to bring me a drink and found me on the ground, so they called for an ambulance. The air ambulance came out to me as well.
“I was in intensive care at QMC for six weeks, and my body was in shutdown. I wasn’t good – they had to remove my spleen, my liver and kidneys were damaged, and they kept pumping blood out of my lungs.
“I was in quite a mess.”
After five weeks in Intensive Care and six weeks on the Major Trauma Ward at QMC, Simon was transferred to Linden Lodge at City Hospital to begin his rehabilitation with the specialist team consisting of nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and other healthcare professionals based there.
Simon was in intensive care at QMC for six weeks where the had to remove his spleen and liver and his kidneys were damagedSimon is now back at home with his wife, daughter and Labrador Rufus
Simon’s wife of 23 years, Jo, explained that moving from the hospital setting to Linden Lodge for rehabilitation was a real change.
She said: “Until then, the majority of the focus had been nursing and medical, but here rehabilitation became the focus and medicine faded into the background, which is what Simon needed.
“Simon’s care since the accident has been fantastic, and the rehab staff have been excellent. But they are trying to look after patients in a difficult environment, so I’m sure the new NRC will give them better facilities.”
Thanks to the dedication of all the staff at Linden Lodge, and Simon’s determination and positive mindset, after just five weeks, Simon was out of a wheelchair and on his way back to independence.
He said: “To start with, I had very little movement in my right-hand side – I could only move my fingers. When I arrived at Linden Lodge, I couldn’t shower on my own, walk on my own and was in a wheelchair.
“I wanted to be better as soon as possible, and was previously a fit and active person, so if anyone dropped out of a physio session or if any of the Linden Lodge team had spare time to fit me in, I was in the gym. I always felt better after exercise and was motivated to push myself to do a bit more.
“I found that the harder you work at it all, the harder they will work with you.”
In addition to working on physical rehabilitation, the psychologists at Linden Lodge worked with Simon regularly to assess his brain injury, including setting him simple maths tests and speed exercises, and gradually he began to recover.
In September, Simon was finally allowed to return home to his wife and daughter, but it’s been a big adjustment for them all, and there is still a long road to recovery with support through outpatient rehabilitation provided.
He said: “My brain struggled to adjust, which is what happens with brain damage, so it was a big step coming home, but I was pleased to be back.
“I was also happy to see our cats and my Labrador Rufus again – I’m calling him my therapy dog now as he’s good for me because I have to get up every day to walk and feed him, and I think he can sense I’m not how I used to be, so he’s much more gentle now.
“My family aren’t keen on me going back to roofing, but it’s all I’ve known for 30 years, so life will look a bit different in the future.”
In the future, patients such as Simon will be able to receive intensive support at the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), currently being built on the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate near Loughborough.
Both Simon and Jo said that the plans for the NRC will be a great step forward in rehabilitation facilities – especially having individual rooms and facilities to help with the transition home.
Simon said: “I’m a very light sleeper, so struggled to sleep in a room with other people, and when you’re tired it knocks you off-kilter and makes everything harder.
“Sleep is especially important when you’re recovering as you need to give your body time to rest, so the plans for individual rooms at the NRC sound good.”
In addition, the NRC will have state-of-the-art rehabilitation facilities, as well as space for families to spend time together, assisting and supporting their rehabilitation journey.
A Gedling councillor says it is “welcome news” disposable vapes will be banned in the UK, but suggested further action is needed to fully combat a threat to young people’s health.
The Government said as well as disposable vapes being banned in the UK, measures will be introduced to prevent vapes from being marketed at children.
It is illegal to sell vapes to anybody under the age of 18 but concerns have been raised about cheap, disposable and colourful vapes, which some experts warn are becoming especially popular among young people.
Announcing the news on Monday (January 29), Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said “strong action” would be taken to stamp out vaping in children. The ban would be in place by early 2025.
Labour leader Keir Starmer said his party had been calling for the ban for two years.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said “strong action” would be taken to stamp out vaping in childrenRefillable vapes will still be available and are encouraged by the health service as an effective way to stop smoking.Gedling Borough Councillor and youth worker Henry Wheeler has campaigned on the issue of banning vapes. He said children as young as nine years old are now using vapes.
Disposable vapes are set to be banned as part of plans to tackle the rising number of young people taking up vaping, the government says.
Refillable vapes will still be available and are encouraged by the health service as an effective way to stop smoking.
Gedling Borough Councillor and youth worker Henry Wheeler (Lab) has campaigned on the issue of banning vapes. He said children as young as nine years old are using vapes.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that vapes have “become a fashion accessory”. He questioned the delay in introducing a ban.
He said: “It is welcome news that the law will be tightened but more needs to be done to stop people from gaining access to vapes.
“A bill to ban disposable vapes could be brought in a lot sooner using existing legislation designed to protect the environment.
“It’s a step in the right direction, but there is no date on the ban.
“Vaping is a huge problem within schools from a behavioural point of view.
“It has massive implications for young people’s health and nicotine is hugely addictive.
“Whilst it may help adults that are smokers to pack up, I think what went wrong is public health using vapes to help people stop.
“The vaping industry is making huge amounts of money from disposable vapes and it’s a huge environmental problem as well.”
When asked whether the disposable vape ban goes far enough, Cllr Wheeler said: “It needs to be treated in the same way as tobacco in terms of it being out of sight in shops.
“There are so many vape shops around that young people can get them, it is almost marketed directly at young people.
“It’s a massive growing problem with people as young as nine picking up the habit.
“There are more and more cases of collapsed lungs as a result.
“We’re replacing one public health problem with a new problem.”
Current NHS advice says while vaping poses a “small fraction” of the risk of smoking cigarettes, it is not “completely risk-free”, and the long-term health risks are not yet clear.
Last week, outgoing Director of Public Health at Nottinghamshire County Council Jonathan Gribbin said he was “very concerned” about vapes being marketed at children.
He said: “Vapes are massively less harmful than smoking. They have a really important role to play in reducing the harmful impacts of tobacco.
“That said, the number of children using vapes has tripled in the last three years [nationally].
“That is a concern. I am very concerned about the marketing to children and young people.”
He added he was “enormously excited” about the government’s proposals for a smoke-free generation.
The policy will make it an offence for anyone born on or after January 1 2009 to be sold tobacco products.
Work will start next week on widening a path alongside the A612 in a bid to encourage residents in Colwick to walk and cycle more.
The work begins on Monday, February 5 until July 14 – lasting 23 weeks
We covered the closure today in our weekly local roadworks round-up HERE
The scheme will see the path alongside the Colwick Loop Road between First Avenue and Private Road No.1 widened using land from the verge to create a three-metre-wide shared use walking and cycling path.
It is being funded using £1.25million from Nottingham City Council’s Transforming Cities Fund allocation and will connect the area to other upgrades made from the city centre to Nottingham Racecourse.
This funding comes from the Department for Transport and can only be used for sustainable transport schemes.
Fifteen new trees will be planted as part of the scheme to replace 17 which will need to be removed to allow works to take place. Eleven of the trees requiring removal are susceptible to ash dieback and two others are considered to be dead specimens.
Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said the newly resurfaced and widened path will improve safety for all The work to widen the new path are expected to last around 23 weeks
The council has said that no road closures will be needed throughout the 23-week construction period but that narrow lanes will be in place to ‘allow works to take place safely’.
The final four weeks of construction will require temporary traffic signals to be in place and further details about the timings of these will be given in the New Year.
Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said the newly resurfaced and widened path will improve safety for all
He said: “Currently, the path is narrow and so widening it will improve the ease of use for existing users while also encouraging new users to make use of this facility.
“The path is a great link for communities getting to work or shopping at Victoria Retail Park and it is great news that these works can take place without significantly impacting on motorists travelling along the A612.
“As we will be cutting into the current verge to construct the widened path, we will need to remove some trees to be able to do this but I would like to reassure residents that most of the trees being removed as part of these works are susceptible to ash die back which would present further maintenance and safety issues in the future.
“We know that some traffic management will be required for the final four weeks of the 23 weeks of the construction and we will make sure that these temporary signals will be in place during off-peak periods only.”
