Residents at Coppice Lodge Care Home in Nottingham enjoyed an uplifting afternoon of live entertainment this week as singer Rebecca Lomas returned to perform a selection of classic jazz favourites.
Staff and residents gathered together in the home’s lounge for an intimate live performance. Rebecca delighted the audience with a set of well-loved jazz songs, encouraging residents to sing along, clap, and dance throughout.
The atmosphere was filled with joy and nostalgia as residents responded enthusiastically to the music, recognising familiar tunes and sharing memories sparked by the performance. Even songs that were less familiar still got toes tapping and smiles all around.
Music plays an important role in enhancing wellbeing at Coppice Lodge, helping to create meaningful moments of connection between residents and staff.
Abbie Moth, Wellbeing & Activities Coordinator at Coppice Lodge, said: “Music really is a wonderful way to connect with residents, and nothing is quite as powerful as having a live singer in the room. We’ve had Rebecca in a few times before and she never fails to get everyone singing and dancing along.”
Resident Irene Dowdell also shared her enjoyment of the afternoon, saying:“It’s all old music, so you must think that you know this song, and it’s nice to hear it again.”
Take a look at the roadworks and closures scheduled for Gedling borough’s roads for the week beginning May 4.
Make sure to plan your journey and check before your travel as these planned works could affect you.
Kirkby Road, Ravenshead 10 May Roadworks, Delays likely Responsibility for works: Virgin Media
Mansfield Road, Redhill 07 May – 08 May Roadworks, Delays likely between junctions with Lodge Close and Adams Drive. Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Needham Road, Arnold 09 May – 10 May Traffic management: Road closure Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water
Sands Close, Colwick 05 May Traffic management: Road closure Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water
Smithy Crescent, Arnold 05 May – 08 May Road closure Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Beck Avenue, Calverton 05 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Works location: Beck Avenue, Calverton. Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Clifton Grove, Gedling 05 May – 06 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Cornhill Road, Carlton 06 May – 08 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water
Danes Close, Arnold 06 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Forge Avenue, Calverton 05 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Foxwood Grove, Calverton 05 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Holt Grove, Calverton 05 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Hucknall Crescent, Gedling 05 May – 06 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Lee Road, Calverton 11 May – 11 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Openreach
Linby Close, Gedling 05 May – 06 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Main Street, Calverton 09 May – 10 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water
Mere Avenue, Calverton 05 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Norbett Road, Arnold 06 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Ousebridge Drive, Carlton 10 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water
Oxborough Road, Arnold 08 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Perlethorpe Close, Gedling 05 May – 06 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Perlethorpe Crescent, Gedling 05 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Salterford Avenue, Calverton 05 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Sherwood Grove, Calverton 05 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Storey Avenue, Gedling 05 May – 06 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Thorndale Road, Calverton 05 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Tithe Lane, Calverton 05 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Walnut Grove, Calverton 05 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Watchwood Grove, Calverton 05 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Wood Grove, Calverton 05 May – 07 May Roadworks, Delays possible Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
A comprehensive review of the county’s discretionary faith school transport scheme has been launched by Nottinghamshire County Council, with a formal public consultation running from 30 April to 12 June 2026.
The council say the review forms part of the wider efforts to address significant financial challenges to ensure essential services can be protected whilst balancing the budget. Last year, the discretionary scheme cost approximately £1.25 million with families contributing 20% towards the cost and the council covering the remaining £1 million.
The scheme currently benefits approximately 520 young people across 15 faith schools, though only 10 schools are based within the county. The remaining schools are located across Nottingham City, Derbyshire and Doncaster.
Primary schools affected include: St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary School, West Bridgford; Good Shepherd Primary Catholic Voluntary Academy, Woodthorpe; St Philip Neri Catholic Primary School, Mansfield; English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, Long Eaton; and Burntstump Seely Infant School, Arnold.
Secondary schools affected include: Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy, Arnold; The Trinity Catholic School, Aspley; The Becket Catholic School, West Bridgford; All Saints Catholic Voluntary Academy, Mansfield; St John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy, Ilkeston; The McAuley Catholic High School, Doncaster; The National Church of England Academy, Hucknall; The Bluecoat Church of England Academy, Aspley; Emmanuel School, West Bridgford; and The Minster School, Southwell.
Historically, Nottinghamshire provided free discretionary faith school transport until 2007, after which a heavily discounted faith travel bus pass was introduced. Nearby counties of Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire withdrew their discretionary schemes over 15 years ago.
Following conversations with representatives from the local Catholic and Anglican dioceses, as well as school leaders, Nottinghamshire County Council has put forward a number of options regarding the future of the discretionary faith school transport scheme. Option 1 proposes maintaining the current policy without any alterations. Option 2 suggests removing the scheme from September 2027.
Option 3 proposes a decision this year to withdraw the scheme, with removal scheduled to take effect from September 2031. This gives advance notice to all parent/carers of the schemes withdrawal and in particular would allow pupils who enter secondary school before that date to continue to access the scheme until it is withdrawn, with the September 2026 Year 7 cohort being the last to complete a full secondary phase under the scheme.
Lastly, Option 4 recommends increasing the parental contribution towards the cost of the scheme, potentially allowing it to continue but with greater financial input from families.
The council is now inviting parents, carers, church and school leaders and residents to share their views and feedback on these options as part of the formal public consultation. All comments received will be carefully considered and will help inform the final decision.
This review does not affect statutory home-to-school transport entitlements. Children who qualify for free travel will continue to receive it.
Councillor Bert Bingham, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council said: “We’re incredibly proud of our longstanding partnership with the faith community and highly value the education they provide to families across Nottinghamshire. While it’s never easy to review valued services such as our discretionary faith transport scheme, our aim is to ensure we safeguard what matters most for everyone. We’re committed to listening, consulting and working together with parents, carers, church representatives and school leaders to understand how any changes to the scheme might affect families and this will help to shape our policy for the future.
“Please be assured, this review is focused solely on discretionary faith transport and will not impact statutory home-to-school transport.”
The consultation is open until 12 June. All comments received will contribute towards shaping the council’s policy on discretionary faith school transport. The outcome of the review will be published by 3 August 2026, in advance of the 2027 school admissions cycle.
A retailer that specialises in ‘affordable, screen-free activities for the whole family, has openied a brand-new store in Arnold.
The 1560 sq. ft. store is located in the former Clarks Outlet unit next to Greggs in Arnold town centre.
Over the last 40 years The Works has established itself as a popular and distinctive high street brand. Across more than 500 stores in the UK & Ireland, The Works provides customers with excellent value, offering products across its four zones of books, arts, crafts & hobbies, stationery and toys & games. The Works makes reading, learning, creativity and play accessible to everyone and is the go-to place for inspiring customers to embrace their free time.
Customers at the new Arnold store will be able to shop for the products they love including Hello Kitty, Peppa Pig and popular books including sprayed edge versions of Frieda McFadden’s latest release, all at exceptional value.
The new store has opened the chain’s newest product ranges, providing customers with a fantastic choice of screen-free products to enjoy.
A spokesperson for The Works said: “We are thrilled to be opening a brand-new store at Arnold, which is a hive of retail activity and a location we have had our eyes on for some time.
“At The Works, we aim to inspire our customers to read, learn, create and play through our offering of affordable screen-free activities for the whole family, and our stores play a very important part in this. We look forward to welcoming new and existing customers through the doors of our newest store!”
A developer has completed its largest land acquisition to date, securing a 17.2-acre site in Redhill for a £40m residential development that will include 144 new homes.
The £40m scheme has full planning consent from Gedling Borough Council. It is the largest acquisition made by the Staffordshire-headquartered developer since its inception in 1994.
A mixture of one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom family homes will be delivered, 21 of which are allocated for low-cost housing. The housebuilder says it will be making an immediate start on site to undertake enabling works.
The new development will be known as Hawksley Rise, paying homage to the 19th Century civil engineer Thomas Hawksley, who was born in Arnold. He was the engineer for the Nottingham Gas Light and Coke Company and Nottingham Waterworks Company. In 1831, he completed the Trent Bridge waterworks, which delivered Britain’s first high pressure ‘constant supply’, preventing contamination entering clean water mains
The exterior elevations of the Hawksley Rise development will be constructed in red brick and styled to complement the local vernacular. The latest green energy features will be incorporated into each home, with a very high EPC rating targeted. Specification highlights will include smart Hive thermostats, electric vehicle car chargers, and solar PV panels.
As part of the development programme, Cameron Homes will deliver ecological enhancements and increase the biodiversity of the site, with an attenuation pond situated at the lowest point – identified as the optimal location to gather surface water. Bird and bat boxes will be installed on retained trees and incorporated within the design of the 144 new homes.
Carpets give a luxurious look to your living room or drawing room, but are difficult to clean. If you have children at home, you need to learn some tips forspot cleaning carpets.
If you don’t soon, your carpets will have new patch prints with the spills, and that’s not necessarily every time; it could be kids or adults as well. Imagine chilling with friends on a weekend night with some wine or coffee, suddenly someone cracks a joke, and the controlled laughs echo, but stop suddenly!
Why, what happened?
Because one of your friends was just in between a coffee sip, and this sudden laughter burst caused him to spit-take. Now your carpet has a new pattern, what would you do? This is where spot cleaning is unavoidable to wipe the stains; otherwise, they will leave a lasting stain.
The Blotting Rule Nobody Follows
How should you clean these quick stains?
Wiping is never a good option because it pulls the spills deep into the surface. Always try to clean through blotting. Use a damp, clean cloth to wipe the stain. Keep folding the stain and blot the spill from the clean side with cold water. Using hot water will also make the stain stubborn.
Coffee Stains
Coffee spills are so common everywhere and are easy to clean if you act quickly and smartly. Otherwise, prepare yourself for a new carpet design.
Blot up as much of the liquid as you can first. Then apply cold water to the area and keep blotting. Do not pour hot water on it. Hot water push stains deep and make them sit in the depth of the carpet fibre.
Blotting is the right technique to be done either immediately or even if the stain has dried. For dry stains, you should first use cold water on the carpet fibre to make it moist, and then blot and later use washing liquid to wipe out the remaining stain from your carpet.
Wine Stains
Once, I was relaxing in my living room with a red wine glass in my hand. As soon as I reached the climax of my serial, our Milo started rubbing himself on my legs, and I spilled everything from my glass on the carpet.
I tried acting smart and sprinkled some salt and started scrubbing, but the stain never left. I then tried scrubbing again with some hot water, but not only the moments but also the carpet was spoiled.
Then the same incident repeated during a friend’s gathering. And imagine what one of them actually acted smart by blotting the spill with a clean cloth dampened with cold water. When the spill was blotted to its maximum, she used liquid dish soap to blot the remaining stain. Whoa! There were no signs of the spill left.
Another technique I learnt at my brother’s is diluting the red wine spill with some white and blotting the spill, which works wonders too.
Pet Stains
Pet problems are different. They not only spoil the carpet with stains, but their dirt gives a foul smell. The smell keeps coming back even if the stain vanishes using domestic cleaning tips. To get rid of the smell, special pet stain removers are available in the market that work wonders for both the smell and the stain.
This happens because regular cleaning products do not break down the organic matter, causing the smell. They mask it temporarily. As soon as warmth or moisture hits the carpet again, the smell returns because the source is still sitting in the fibers.
To get rid of these stains and smell, try specific enzyme cleaners. They decompose the organic matter. The trick is to follow the exact method as instructed to leave the stain remover on the stain and then blot, and it will not only wipe the stain but also the smell.
When Spot Cleaning Is Not Enough
If your carpets give a foul smell, or all your techniques fail to remove a specific stain, you should try hiring a professional carpet cleaning service, like Prolux Cleaning. They use different proven methods, like hot water extraction or professional stain removers that deep cleanse the carpet fibres from inside.
Spot cleaning fails if you leave a stain for some time or try removing it with the wrong type of stain lifter. Therefore, be careful with every stain.
Conclusion
Try to be quick with spot cleaning carpets, but don’t lose your mind in anxiousness. Remember the right techniques to wipe the stains from the carpet and follow them.
Using hot water, the wrong stain lifter, or scrubbing will only make the stains more stubborn. So be careful with your spot cleaning techniques to get them right.
But when all your techniques fail, give Prolux Cleaning a try.
The modern internet can be thought of as akin to a very complex, and very fast, kind of messaging system. But no messaging system can function without a way of distinguishing one recipient from another. This is where the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Control Protocol (that’s TCP/IP) comes in. It works by assigning every device on a network a unique address. These addresses are known as IP addresses.
What Are Static and Dynamic IP Addresses?
There are two main types of IP addresses: static ones, and dynamic ones. As the name might suggest, the former remain fixed, while the latter are assigned automatically.
It’s possible to configure a network, or device, to use either. But in most UK homes, dynamic IPs are the default, while static addresses are reserved for particular devices, like the router. So, a new device might connect to the network, and be assigned an address via what’s known as the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server.
How Dynamic IP Addresses Change (and Why They Do)
Dynamic IP addresses change every time a new device connects to the network. You can think of it like checking into a hotel. You don’t have the same room assigned every time you visit, and this allows the hotel to effectively manage capacity.
Dynamic addresses are more difficult to track, which makes them inherently more secure. They’re also more user-friendly and flexible. When the address isn’t being chosen by the user, there’s no risk of one device conflicting with another.
When and Why Static IP Addresses Stay the Same
For all of the advantages of a dynamic address, it’s fair to say that static ones haven’t gone anywhere. This is because they tend to offer advantages of their own. They tend to offer a simpler, more robust connection that makes them perfect for servers and business applications that are going to be used constantly, and that need special priority on the network.
If you want to set a static IP up at home, then you might need to overcome additional hurdles. You might even find that you’re unable to assign static IPs to your devices without paying extra.
If you want to learn how to change IP address yourself, then there are a number of online guides to consider.
Choosing the Right Option for Your Needs
For most home users, the flexibility and efficiency of a dynamic IP address makes it the go-to choice. If you’re doing something a little more elaborate, like hosting a website, or running an on-site storage server, then having a static address might be preferable. It can be a worthwhile exercise to try both, so you can understand exactly how they work, and which best fits your purposes.
A warning has been issued urging people in Gedling borough to ‘stay alert’ after new research revealed AI tools are directing customers to fake customer service phone lines – putting millions of consumers at risk of fraud.
It has been revealed criminals are exploiting AI‑powered tools so that consumers looking to contact trusted brands are shown fake phone numbers, websites and search results, which they use to capture data and perpetrate fraud.
Virgin Media O2, who carried out the research, say they have dealt with fraud cases where customers have called these numbers and been scammed. It’s warning this sophisticated fraud is on the rise and urging consumers to be on their guard.
To help peopel stay safe, advice has been issued to people when looking for a customer service number online:
Only use customer service numbers listed on official company websites, apps or on your bill. For customers looking to speak to O2, the quickest way is calling 202 from an O2 device and for Virgin Media it’s 150 from the landline.
Be cautious of numbers returned by search engines, social media posts or AI tools
Never share security codes or personal details with unsolicited callers – no matter who they say they are from.
Report suspected calls and texts to 7726 on any network to help shut down scams faster in future.
Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud Prevention at Virgin Media O2, said: “Criminals know when people search for help, they’re often looking for a quick answer. AI tools are creating new opportunities for fraudsters to create realistic looking fake numbers that appear through search results or chatbots, putting people at risk of calling a criminal rather than their trusted provider.
“At Virgin Media O2, we’re doing all we can to keep customers safe by blocking known scammer numbers on the network and using AI to flag more than 1 billion suspicious calls to date. But with scammers looking to exploit new channels to target victims, everyone can help us keep people safe by reporting dodgy numbers to 7726 so we can shut down scams faster in future.”
Reform’s new JCB pothole machines will be working on the borough’s roads within the next two weeks, says the council leader.
Back in February, the Reform-led Nottinghamshire County Council announced it would be purchasing at least two JCB Pothole Pro machines to help with tackling the declining state of the county’s roads.
The machines have been trialled by neighbouring Reform-run authorities in Derbyshire and Lincolnshire and typically cost between £150,000 and £200,000.
The council has recently embarked on critical highway projects, announcing £2 million to go towards emergency repairs across dozens of sites in February and its £122.5 million pot for phase one of fixing roads, which launched in early April.
Council leader, Mick Barton, said the new machines will be used for around 200 to 250 square metres of patching repairs, which then prepares roads for surface dressing.
He said: “Once we’ve patched them all and got them all into a satisfactory condition, then we’ll do the surface dressing.
“They [the machines] will definitely be on the roads within the next two weeks. Maybe the end of next week – but we’ll quantify that in the next few days.”
The leader said once the machines are out on the roads, they will be used every day.
He said: “They’ll be able to do 200-to-250 metres a day and we’re going to judge that every day how much they do, on a weekly basis and monthly basis to make sure we’re getting value for money.”
Road conditions are known to worsen during winter months, where cold and wet weather can chip away at roads or more easily undo any temporary works or patching.
Cllr Barton says the next winter period will be different, where highway teams will be working through all seasons, even laying hot tarmac during winter.
Nottinghamshire County Council’s cabinet also approved the authority’s ‘phase two’ works in a meeting on Thursday, adding millions more pounds to its £122.5 million highways pot for 2026/27 in phase one.
An extra £58.75 million will be pumped into the county’s highway network for 2026/27, bringing the total spend on roads to £181.25 million – when factoring in the £2 million emergency works earlier this year, that figure settles at more than £183 million.
Speaking in Thursday’s meeting on the further cash boost, Cllr Barton said: “But it’s not over now, we’re going to parliament in the summer and will try and get some more money because we’ve got to now prepare for next year.
“We’ve got over 130 people working on the roads at the minute. We’ve got the eight crews out at the moment doing the first-time fixes and two more starting in a few weeks’ time.
“The game changer for me is the 12 months of the year they’re going to be doing that and that will make a big impact next winter. We’re working on the next winter’s programme already.”
Cllr Rory Green, cabinet member for children’s and families, said: “This year we’ve seen record-breaking responses to pothole reports, higher reports.
“This is for the people and areas like Ashfield, that some of us represent, that have been abandoned for years.”
Both phases of spending should lead to the authority’s highways works backlog being reduced by nearly £100 million, from its peak of £414 million to an estimated £317 million, the council says.
The boost of cash comes after a September 2025 survey found about 38 per cent of the county’s roads in ‘poor condition’, along with more than half of all road marking being in ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ condition.
Police have boarded up a home in Arnold after a host of noise complaints, fights and drugs use were linked to the property.
Officers from the Gedling Central Neighbourhood Policing Team secured the closure order on 72 Bentwell Avenue following a series of complaints from nearby residents.
The property was boarded up on Thursday (23) following the granting of an order at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court – it is believed to be the first order of its kind secured in Gedling borough.
Police have boarded up the property
The order will be in place for three months and prohibits anyone from entering the house.
If an individual breaches the order they will be committing an offence and be liable to imprisonment and/or a fine.
Problems at the property included loud music, parties into the early hours of the morning and other antisocial behaviour.
There have also been sporadic reports of drug use and a fight involving weapons in January this year.
Sergeant Alison Riley, of the Gedling Central neighbourhood policing team, said: “It is disappointing when an address becomes a magnet for antisocial behaviour in the way this house has done.
“Police were repeatedly called to the address and the number of complaints meant we were determined to take action.
“Although the order is a first for Gedling we won’t hesitate to take action like this in future. In neighbourhood policing we always act when an address becomes such a problem for the whole community.
“It is also pleasing that members of the community had the confidence in their neighbourhood team to share their accounts and provide the evidence we needed to shut the property down.
“I hope this order now gives residents in the community some respite from these issues.
“It should also serve as a warning to other people about what could happen to them if they behave in this way.”
To report antisocial behaviour, call 101 or use the Live Chat option on our website. If you don’t report it the problems may continue – so don’t rely on someone else to report it for you.
