A Netherfield cafe that has been called a ‘community hub’ faces closure unless it can pay off debts, reduce costs and find extra cash to revitalise the business.
The local community has now been called upon to help save the Corner Cafe on Victoria Road by donating money via a crowdfunding page.
The crowdfunder has been started by Jessie Grewal and she hopes to raise the necessary funds to save the beloved community hub.
It is hoped that £3,000 can be through fundraising to save the cafe.
On the crowdfunding page, the fundraisers wrote: “We are reaching out to you with heavy hearts and a sense of urgency. Our cherished café, a community hub that has been serving delicious food, creating unforgettable memories, and fostering meaningful connections for years, is facing imminent closure.
“We are devastated by this unfortunate turn of events, and we desperately need your support to keep our doors open.
“Due to a series of unforeseen circumstances, including rising operational costs, mounting debts, and a significant decrease in foot traffic, we are no longer able to sustain the café’s daily operations. Our dedicated staff members, who have become like family to us, are also at risk of losing their livelihoods. It breaks our hearts to imagine a future without our café, and we are determined to do everything in our power to save it.
“With your generous contributions, we aim to raise the necessary funds to cover outstanding debts, reduce operating costs, and implement a strategic plan that will help us revive our café and ensure its long-term sustainability.
“Your support means the world to us. By donating to our cause, you are not only helping to save a beloved café but also preserving a vital community space.
They added: “Your contribution will directly impact the lives of our dedicated staff members, who rely on this café for their livelihoods, and the countless individuals who call this place their second home.”
A team of scambusters are warning residents in Gedling borough to watch out for fake emails informing people about an undelivered bank or credit card.
Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber-crime, received 760 reports relating to fake emails about deliveries of bank cards.
The emails state that the recipient has a bank or credit card waiting to be delivered to them and provides an email address to contact and arrange delivery.
The contact information in the emails do not belong to legitimate banks or credit card providers.
A spokesperson for Action Fraud said: “If you have any doubts about a message, contact the organisation directly.
“Don’t use the numbers or address in the message, use the details from their official website.
“Your bank or any other official source will never ask you to supply personal information via email.”
If you have spotted a suspicious email, forward it to the suspicious email reporting service at report@phishing.gov.uk
The increasing numbers walking around the streets of Gedling on a weekend morning dressed in purple shows the success of relative newcomers to the football scene, Willow Wanderers.
Formed in 2015 when the chairman Tom Turner and club secretary Neil Barrs felt their approach to kids’ football was at odds with the club they were then working with, the duo decided to go their own way.
Their players followed them almost unanimously to create a distinctive new club with a clear philosophy of putting the enjoyment of football above the desire to win games and, unusually, a commitment to equal game time right up to U12.
The club however seemed to have a bit of a Cup curse hanging over them as since their inception in 2015, they’d never laid hands on a knockout trophy.
This all changed last month (May) when the Gedling-based youth football club finally broke their Cup duck – and then added a second less than a week later.
Gedling Eye caught up with Club Secretary Neil Barrs and some of the team responsible for breaking Willow’s cup hoodoo.
Neil told us that “We’ve won plenty of trophies in different league divisions, and the odd Fair Play award to boot but a knockout trophy always seemed to elude our teams.
“The U14 Lions got close last year, making it to their final before losing to a strong West Bridgford Colts side; a couple of years previously, the U9 Raptors reached Willow’s first ever final, before being pipped at the post.
“Then at last, in May, the U14 Eagles – newcomers to the club just a year previously – first won their Sunday Division 1 title, and then followed it up with a nailbiting Cup win on penalties.
“Not to be outdone, the following weekend their Saturday colleagues, the U14 Rockets, in contrast, one of the original Willow teams from 2015 – repeated the feat, again needing spot kicks to settle the match. Huge congratulations to both!”
Eagles captain Dom Stephenson told Gedling Eye that “It was an amazing feeling winning both the league and the cup. I think the team got stronger as the season went on and we fully deserved to win both! Big thanks to all the players and coaches. A real team effort!”
Eagles manager Glenn Akerman added that “It’s a fantastic experience to take part in any cup final so to run out winners was amazing, especially having also won the division 1 title three weeks earlier to make it a league and cup double!
“It was a very proud moment, even more so when I heard after the match that it was Willow Wanderers FC’s first ever cup final win in the club’s history!”
Rockets keeper Jayden Blackburn said “Just so pleased I could help the boys when needed. They were tip top all game and never gave up. Shout out to all the lads who scored a penalty at the end not missing one really put the pressure on our opponents and made my job easier. Go Rockets!”
Rockets manager Richard Chadwick added “What a journey and a brilliant day to round off a brilliant cup run. To beat two teams from the division above including in the final and having to show the grit and determination to come from behind not once, not twice, not three times but four times and win on penalties is a huge credit to the boys and their never say die determination.
“I am so proud as a parent and so proud as a coach of this team. An amazing way to end the season!”
Club Secretary, Neil told us about the club ethos behind the success of a club that now has over 200 kids on their books – “What we look for is effort. If the kids have given us 100% but it just hasn’t worked for them for some reason, that’s good enough.
“It means they are invested in the game, in their team. It means they have the will to do well. It means they aren’t prepared to allow the game to pass them by without a fight. It means that no matter what their natural level of ability, they believe they can make a difference. What better lesson is there to learn to help them succeed in life?”
The Willow ethos, Neil continues, also extends to making sure that everyone who comes to football enjoys the experience. “We want all players, coaches, supporters and officials to look forward to their games against our teams, knowing they’ll be played in the right spirit and that they’ll be made to feel welcome when they come to le Willows.”
Further information can be found on the Willow Wanderer’s facebook page HERE and If you have a child interested in joining Willow Wanderers, contact enquiries@willowwanderers.co.uk for more information.
A burglar from Calverton who left his blood at a crime scene in Arnold after stealing a car has been jailed.
John Wilson, aged 39, broke into a home in Sandfield Road, Arnold, on April 11, 2023 and carried out an untidy search of the property.
He stole a jewellery box, purse, two sets of car keys and the car which was parked on the driveway.
However, detectives investigating the burglary were able to link the break-in to Wilson after finding traces of his blood on a stairgate.
It is believed he cut himself when smashing a glass door panel to gain entry to the house.
Wilson, of Labray Road, Calverton, was arrested on May 9 and was convicted of burglary and taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent.
He was jailed for a total of 18 months when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday (31 May).
Detective Sergeant Georgina Gallagher, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Burglaries are extremely unpleasant, invasive crimes and it is always good news to put an offender behind bars.
“We carried out a very thorough investigation which linked Wilson to the scene of this break-in.
“This is exactly why the force has two teams of detectives, for both city and county, allowing us to attend every dwelling burglary.
“These teams work exclusively on locking up burglars like Wilson, preventing burglaries in the first place and supporting victims.”
Carlton Male Voice Choir enjoyed a trip to Northampton and Bournemouth during the weekend of May 19-21.
The trip was meticulously planned and carried out by Musical Director Ian Watts and Treasurer Joe Bean, with Chris Davison as Bus Captain.
They arranged three full days of enjoyment to include Concerts at Christchurch, Northampton, and St Ambrose near Bournemouth with some informal performances along the way.
Pictured: Ian and some of the choir PHOTO: CMVC
A full coach of 53 singers and their wives, partners, and friends plus a few travellers in cars set off from various points mainly Carlton Square. With the usual traffic delays there was just enough time to get an early Tea in the hotel and get ready for the set up and performance of the Friday Concert.
The Concert organised by Northampton Male Voice Choir, was in aid of the Northampton Health Charity, Daisy Suite Appeal supporting the SANDS Charity. (Stillbirth and Neo natal Death Charity)
Northampton MVC were led by Musical Director Stephen Bell and accompanied by Andy Poole and Sue Raymont.
Carlton were met and entertained by the Northampton Choir and all enjoyed a varied programme of music including no less than 5 joint items. There was an “After-glow” laid on at the Old Scouts Rugby Club with supper and bar, and of course a lot of hearty inter-choir singing.
On Saturday, after a good breakfast, the Choir travelled to Bournemouth with a small delay due to congestion, and a lunch stop half way.
Pictured: With Northampton MVC PHOTO: CMVC
This time the travellers were split into two nearby hotels. After Tea, the Choir went to the next venue St Ambrose Church. Bournemouth MVC were led by MD Mark Burstow and accompanied by Rob Dishington. The two choirs shared the programme and performed just one joint number, the concert raising money for this beautiful performance space.
Again, there was ample food and drink provided including a local brew! After a little while Carlton had to get back to the hotels and there was time to relax in the bar (with yet more singing with an audience from the wedding party next door) while some explored the nightlife of Bournemouth until the early hours.
On Sunday there was time to look around Bournemouth in daylight and an impromptu performance was given near the Pier. The area was very busy and what was not expected was the arrival of 800 Bikers from the Distinguished Gentleman’s Riders club who were riding for charity and were received by the Mayor; this provided an immediate and large audience.
Pictured: Co-organiser & Bus Captain Chris Davison PHOTO: CMVC
After lunch the Choir travelled back the long way to Nottingham playing games and quizzes led by Chris Davison and Yvonne and Geoff Brooks.
A special mention to Steve the Coach Driver from Wilfrida Beehive who really helped our journeys and supported the Choir during the weekend.
The Choir is looking forward to its next Trip away to South Wales in the Autumn.
The Scores on the Doors website shows which businesses have achieved three five-star ratings in a row for good food hygiene.
Businesses that achieve this standard are handed the ‘Elite’ status showing true consistency in this field.
At no point should the lack of an Elite award question in any way the compliance of a business who have already achieved the top rating – with many not having had chance to be inspected three times.
It can take more than four years to build up three sets of top marks.
These are the takeaways, pubs, sandwich and chip shops in Gedling borough that have qualified for the Scores On The Doors Elite Award as of January 2023.
A Nottingham woman says she has been left with a painful broken tooth for two years after being removed from her dentist’s books during what campaigners now say is a ‘crisis’ in NHS dental care.
Dentistry is one of the few NHS services where patients pay a contribution towards the cost of NHS care at the point of treatment.
But there are major problems with recruiting new dentists nationally, and very few surgeries are accepting new NHS patients without referrals.
PICTURED: Bupa on Victoria Road
A number of surgeries across Gedling borough are now closing or up for sale due to the shortages – including Bupa Dental Care in Netherfield.
The shortages are partly due to the current NHS dental contract which was introduced in 2006.
In 2022 new reforms to the dental contract meant NHS dentists could be paid more for treating more complex cases and dental therapists could start accepting patients for NHS treatments.
As of Friday June 2, according to the online NHS dental service finder, not a single Nottingham city practice is currently listed as accepting new NHS patients without a referral.
Listings for all the rest say practices are either not accepting NHS patients or have not updated their status for some time and should be contacted directly. Some of the practices are accepting children.
Andrew Lord, who runs the Toothless in Nottingham campaign group, branded the situation a “crisis”.
The Government says it is “working to improve access to NHS dental care” and is investing more than £3 billion a year.
One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was registered with the My Dentist surgery on Southchurch Drive in Clifton for 27 years before she was removed from their patient list during the pandemic.
A spokesperson for the practice said if a patient hasn’t attended for several years, their space is made available for others on the waiting list.
The 56-year-old said part of her tooth broke off in 2020 and she has still not been able to get it treated.
The woman, who has two autistic children, said the family last visited the dentist before the pandemic.
She said: “The top piece of my tooth came off and I’m getting abscesses and infections because it isn’t covered.
“I can’t get antibiotics from the doctor because it’s a dental issue.
“After lockdown, I rang the dentist up and they told me they couldn’t find me on their list.
“They said they rang me at the time to see if I still wanted to be registered with them but I never got a call. I was so shocked when they said I wasn’t on the list any more.
“Since then I’ve been trying to get a dentist but nowhere is taking on NHS patients.
“Some of them say they have room for private patients but just a check-up would cost £49. If I went private I wouldn’t be able to feed my kids.
“The electric and gas and food prices are just too much to pay for, I’ve got to choose between one of the other already.
“I’ve got more depressed about it because I can’t get my teeth sorted and I’m worrying about where I’m going to get it done.”
Mr Lord, who runs the local branch of the Toothless in England campaign, said he started the local campaign because he “saw the mess the government are making of dentistry”.
He said: “In some areas north of the county, like Mansfield, Ashfield, Bestwood and Top Valley, many people are without a dentist at all.
“People are finding they’re not on the NHS dentists list and they’ve got nowhere else to go.
“Part of the campaign is to keep our ears open to find dentists accepting NHS patients. I’ve been doing this for six months and I’ve found one accepting NHS patients.
“They’d already filled their small allocation by the time I contacted them.”
He said dentistry is a “service where there is a massive need” in Nottinghamshire.
He said: “We’re in the middle of a crisis as things stand because people can’t get a dentist for love nor money.
“Waiting lists can be up to two years long.
“The future is not looking any brighter because Rishi Sunak is in complete denial of the situation.
“The Government needs to acknowledge there is a problem.”
He said the answer to the huge problem is to get a new contract for NHS dentists.
He said: “Dentists are almost making a loss on NHS patients that they see.
“Dentists have to put food on the table as well, they’ve got their own bills to pay and businesses have their overheads going up all the time.
“I’ve had people contact me to tell me they’ve been trying to do their own refit their own fillings because they’ve come out, using superglue or putty.
“I had a message from an elderly gentleman who has been in constant pain for the last eight months with toothache and he’s been told he could go private and pay £150 to have it taken out.
“He said he couldn’t cope with that, he can barely afford the NHS costs.”
A spokesperson for My Dentist said they were sorry the woman had difficulty in booking an appointment.
They added: “Our practice teams work hard to provide dental care for as many people as possible. There is, however, an acute shortage of NHS dentists across the country which sadly means that access to NHS dentistry is severely limited.
“Based on Government guidance, patients are no longer registered to a particular dental practice, allowing them the freedom to move as they wish. This means that if a patient hasn’t attended the practice for several years, the space is made available for other patients who may be struggling to access an appointment.
“Our practice teams try their very best to accommodate all requests for NHS care, but when that’s not possible, they may also offer affordable private alternatives if they are available.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are working to improve access to NHS dental care and have already increased the funding practices receive for high needs patients to encourage dentists to provide more NHS treatments.
“We have amended the guidelines so dental therapists and hygienists can deliver more treatments – as well as making it easier to recruit dentists from overseas – and we will be setting out further measures to improve access shortly.”
The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board, which runs local dental services, did not respond to a request for comment.
Nottingham City Transport has ordered 12 battery-electric buses as it seeks to move its fleet to zero emissions.
The greener buses will serve the borough’s Red 50, which goes to Victoria Retail Park in Netherfied, and the Blue 39, which provides public transport to parts of Carlton.
The first Yutong single-deck buses are now in build and are destined for the routes at the end of the year.
The new Yutong single decks are tried and tested, with 138,000 Yutong electric vehicles operating in 100 countries around the world, where they’ve covered a combined 22.5 billion miles!
They’ve been in the UK for a few years too, with operators in Glasgow, Newport and nearby Leicester speaking very favourably about their performance.
NCT said the new fleet is able to run a full day’s service on a single charge.
Liam O’Brien, NCT’s Head of Engineering said, “Following a rigorous public procurement process and operational trials of several electric buses, Yutong Bus & Coach were a clear winner to deliver our first battery electric buses. The buses are superior in terms of range, space and comfort for passengers and have air conditioning as standard.”
Ian Downie, Head of Yutong UK at Pelican Bus and Coach said, “We are absolutely delighted and honoured to have been awarded this contract to work in partnership with NCT. The vehicles will be fully completed at our family-owned dealership in Castleford, and we look forward to supporting Nottingham on their zero-emission journey”.
After two years of hard work impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the CORE Centre is hoping to become the leading community hub in Gedling.
The charity was created in 1994 by a local vicar to provide free and low-cost education resources for Calverton residents.
But the CORE truly picked up a couple of years ago when Sam Round, 50, and Becky Lord, 51, became project managers after volunteering there for years.
The pair wanted to expand the range of services offered to the community and to assist as many people as possible, with their moto being ‘if we can’t help, we’ll find someone that can’.
Becky said: “In recent times we have changed our focus more towards wellbeing and providing services and activities that make people happy.
“Since covid we have built around 40 services and activities, which we are pretty proud of.
“We offer a lot of support and advice for all things such as emails, forms, council worries, housing worries, disabilities concerns, etc.
“We have also made a lot of new partnerships and managed to get two lottery bids, even if we still have funding gaps to meet.”
The CORE is not only a place to get help, but also to meet people and form friendships.
More than 14,000 interactions are accounted for each year.
The former teacher and head deputy added: “We have this lady coming down to eat soup once a week because she says it’s the only time in the week that she doesn’t have to eat on her own.
“We are reaching a lot more people now, they come from not only Calverton but also all-around Gedling and Nottinghamshire.”
The work done by the charity would not be possible without volunteers, who put their time and skills to use.
Sam said: “We couldn’t run everything without volunteers, we rely on [them] to do a lot of things.
“And we’re constantly surprised by [their] generosity.
“Being a project manager is challenging but also rewarding, we love what we do, it does not feel like work.”
The Core Centre are based at Calverton Working Men’s Club – Collyer Road – Calverton – NG14 6JX
Further information can be found on their facebook page HERE
A new health and wellbeing studio has opened its doors in a discreet setting, overlooking a vista of rolling hills in a truly stunning location in Dorket Head.
Bringing the old with the new, the business has been set up in a beautifully converted Cowshed that has been exquisitely restored, offering luxurious modern facilities.
PHOTO: Charlotte Hashim
Pure Wellbeing offering includes individual and group services to the local community, including Pilates, personal training, lifestyle weight management course, and specialist health and wellbeing services.
Charlotte Hashim is the the owner of the beautiful new Pure Wellbeing studio.
She said “I have 16 years experience in health, wellbeing and fitness, I have worked in various roles, most recently for five years as the occupational health Fitness Advisor in Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue.
“Previously I was the Lead Physical Activity Specialist on a weight management service.
“Opening my own studio has always been my ultimate career dream.”
Charlotte has also set up a corporate wellbeing element to her business, offering accredited Mental Health First Aid training, Back Care in the Workplace training, Menopause Support sessions, amongst other services.
PHOTO: Charlotte HashimPHOTO: Charlotte HashimPHOTO: Charlotte HashimPHOTO: Charlotte Hashim
Charlotte added: “I also offer services to the community including Pilates, Personal Training, Lifestyle Weight Management course and other specialist services including post-covid recovery, pre and post-natal care, and exercise for orthopaedic conditions.”
Charlotte will be holding an open day on June 25.
The new studio can be found at Dorket Head Farm, Calverton Road, Arnold, Nottinghamshire, NG5 8PU
