Gedling Eye continues to look back at the highs and lows of 2022 across the borough, continuing with October to December …

• You can read our round-up of news between January-March here
• You can read our round-up of news between April-June here
• You can read our round-up of news between July-September here

OCTOBER

A runaway driver was sniffed out by a police dog – moments after causing a crash involving a police car. Raheem Rahman, aged 22, drove away at speed after being spooked by an unmarked police car traveling on Forest Lane, Papplewick, on blue lights to an unrelated call. A member of the public driving through the lights then collided with a police car as he swerved to avoid a head-on crash. At this point Rahman abandoned his Audi and attempted to flee the scene on foot. After a methodical search by a police dog handler, he was located hiding in a hedge. Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court, he was jailed for 12 months and banned from driving for two years.

A Carlton motorist spotted driving whilst disqualified was locked up after being caught offending again. Garfield Lewis was clocked by police driving a van in Marlborough Road, Woodthorpe and after noticing Lewis was driving while disqualified and without any insurance, officers quickly arrested the 40-year-old after catching up with his van. Garfield was given an eight month sentence after appearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court.

Gedling MP Tom Randall cut the ribbon to officially open a new £4.9million housing development for people aged over 55 in Burton Joyce. Stockinger House, owned by housing provider Jigsaw Homes Group, was formally opened by the MP and Jigsaw Group’s Chief Executive, Hilary Roberts. They were joined by residents, Gedling Borough councillors Sam Smith and Michael Adams, Burton Joyce Parish councilors and Jigsaw Group board members.

Birds Bakery officially opened its 63^rd store in the East Midlands – bringing its famous selection of baked family favourites to Teal Park, the new business park based between Netherfield and Stoke Bardolph.

The new 1,200 ft² store on the business park created eight new jobs and joins a number of household names on the expanding business park, situated off Colwick Loop Road, including Aldi. The site is also home to a new school and children’s day nursery. 

The owner of The Mustard Seed in Gedling received a fine for repeatedly opening during the Covid-19 lockdown. The BBC reported that Nottingham Crown Court ordered 71-year-old Christine Stala to pay £10,560 in fines plus £11,190 in council and legal costs. The Christian cafe on Main Road was served a closure order in November 2020 after refusing to shut. At the time England was under its second lockdown – from 31 October until 2 December – which required hospitality venues to close.

A youth football club based at Stoke Bardolph was counting the cost following a “devastating” act of vandalism at their clubhouse. Volunteers at Gedling FC, who have a ground in the village, say thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused by thieves who broke into the clubhouse on Saturday night and also stole a number of items.

Police took out a cannabis operation in Calverton – finding plants, cash, burner phones and some drugs stored in a freezer in dog litter bags. Officers from Gedling’s Operation Reacher team, supported by the Reacher team from Oxclose Lane, executed an early morning warrant at an address in Flatts Lane. A number of cannabis plants were discovered in various states of growth as well as cannabis packed into dog litter bags in a kitchen freezer. They also found hundreds of pounds of cash, some mobile phones, and sim cards hidden around the property believed to be linked to drug dealing.

Powerlifter Martin Wilson, a 33-year-old fitness advisor, from Gedling, has become a British and World Champion in amateur British powerlifting. He won the ‘Open Men Raw Under 82.5kg’ category in the Amateur World Powerlifting Congress (AWPC) World Championships which were held in Manchester in September. He also won the same category at the Amateur British Powerlifting Union (ABPU) which took place in July. Martin has worked at Carlton Forum Leisure Centre for four years, specialising in powerlifting and nutrition, as well as teaching exercise classes. 

Work to revamp a play area in Colwick will begin in the New Year after almost £100,000 in funding was found to pay for improvements. FCC Communities Foundation will be providing a grant total of £99,466 to improve Colwick Rectory Play Area on Mile End Road.

Housing developers will now be forced to take action to improve drainage at their sites after a village was hit by severe flooding. Residents described seeing a ‘sea of mud’ wash through the village of Burton Joyce during recent heavy rainfall, with poor drainage at new housing development sites at Orchard Close and Glebe Farm being blamed for the incident. Following complaints from villagers, Councillors Sam Smith and Mike Adams, who represent Trent Valley, called on planning inspectors from Gedling Borough Council to call a halt to development until drainage was improved. A 14-day notice was issued to the Orchard Close developer, telling them to immediately take measures to ensure surface water is appropriately managed during the construction phase of the development by installing a temporary drainage system and seeking the submission of permanent drainage plans.

NOVEMBER

A drug dealer was jailed after he sped away from police in Mapperley and threw items from his car in a failed bid to evade arrest. Jordan Grant, aged 29, was spotted in Westmoore Close by cops on patrol who recognised him. When officers began a pursuit, Grant was seen throwing items from his car as he drove dangerously along residential streets. Mobile phones and a bag of coins were later recovered from the roadside. Grant, of Florence Avenue, Long Eaton, was jailed for a total of three-and-a-half years at Nottingham Crown Court.

A Colwick firm which designs and manufactures pharmaceutical test equipment used across the world, was crowned this year’s Nottinghamshire Business of the Year by East Midlands Chamber. The firm, which are based on Colwick Quays Business Park, were honoured during a gala dinner at the Nottingham Belfry. The winner was chosen by a judging panel of the Chamber’s senior leadership and board of directors, as well as sponsors.

It was decided that streets in a new housing development in Ravenshead will be named after fallen First World War and Second World War soldiers. Custom Homes is building 44 houses on land at Cornwater Fields, off Longdale Lane. Gedling Borough Council proposed that they be named after fallen soldiers from both the Second World War and First World War. Delegated decision documents said: “The names chosen are fallen soldiers from WW1 and WW2, taken from St Peter’s Memorial Board in Ravenshead.”

A £50k project to help prevent flooding in Burton Joyce was announced. Flooding in recent months brought disruption to the village after intense rainfall resulted in surface water flooding with drainage systems overwhelmed. Following a feasibility study, a scheme to install natural flood management measures in carefully selected areas within the upper catchment of the Crock Beck is now planned thanks to part funding from the county council’s Green Investment Fund. The measures will help restore the natural functions of the Beck to temporarily capture and hold back water running off land during times of heavy rain, releasing it slowly after the rain has passed. 

The HSBC announced plans to close its branch in Arnold. The banking giant today announced it will be shutting 114 branches across the UK next year and the latest round of closures comes as more people turn to online and mobile banking. The bank in Arnold was temporarily closed to the public late last year after it was turned into a ‘digital service’ branch, with counters being replaced by self-service machines. The Arnold branch, based on Front Street, will close in May 2023.

DECEMBER

A tree-mendous new ‘green lung’ pathway was opened up in a Mapperley park. Children from Carlton Digby School planted trees and native daffodils at the park to mark the opening of the new trail. More than 500 trees have now been planted to enhance the new trail which runs through Digby Park. At the opening was Councillor Jenny Hollingsworth, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Growth and Economy at Gedling Borough Council who said: “The planting is part of our commitment to people enjoying the outdoors; our commitment to the environment and reducing our carbon footprint.”

The importance of small business was highlighted by a campaign launched in Arnold. Small Business Saturdays were marked with the launch of Festive Saturdays in Arnold Town Centre to celebrate the opening of The AMP, a new development supporting small, independent businesses. The Small Business Saturday campaign aimed to encourage people to shop locally but is not just about spending money. Customers were encouraged to do other things to help highlight the small business they love by leaving positive reviews, telling friends and family about their experience or sharing posts on social media to show their support.

Gedling Borough Council spent more than £89,000 on upgrading and improving CCTV cameras and equipment across the borough in a bid to cut crime and anti-social behaviour. Equipment in Arnold Town Centre, Carlton, Netherfield and Calverton was upgraded to improve the image quality from the cameras, which are transmitted to, recorded, and monitored from the council’s central CCTV Control Room.  

Big Mike’s Artisan Cheesecake Shop on Carlton Hill announced it will close for good on Christmas Eve. The announcement about the store’s future was made via the well-known store’s social media channels. The shop was first opened back in November 2020 by owner Mike Jones, AKA Big Mike, and partner Jess Graham. In the social media post he wrote: “We have had so much fun on Carlton Hill over the last two years, but I am sorry to say we have taken the decision to close our little shop for good on Christmas Eve. “I am afraid that the financial situation of the country over the last year has put so much pressure on our business that we have taken the decision to change the way we operate.”

Green belt land at Stoke Bardolph that was earmarked for housing was spared by council leaders. Following a meeting of Gedling Borough Council’s Cabinet, it was announced that under threat land to the east of Teal Close will not now be consulted on for housing development.  In a joint statement, the Cabinet members said: “We’ve listened to the views of the residents we serve in Stoke Bardolph, Teal Close, Burton Joyce and surrounding communities and decided to protect the green belt land to the east of Teal Close. Over 800 people had signed a petition calling on the council to spare the land from developers. Trent Valley Councillors Sam Smith and Mike Adams also wrote to the Cabinet calling for a consultation to be delayed until housing legislation was changed so that housing targets were advisory rather than compulsory.

Gedling Borough Council will receive £2.9m over the next three years to fund a number of different projects. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is the successor to the European Structural Fund and Gedling Borough Council will receive £368,000 in the first year followed by £696,000 in year two and a final instalment of £1.8 million in year three. Projects to start in the first year include plans to build a new sports pavilion at Lambley Lane Recreation Ground, expand CCTV in crime hotspots in areas including Calverton, provide community grants to local charities and groups and the council will also use the funding to install new Changing Places public toilets at King George V Playing Fields in Arnold Town Centre.

A disqualified driver killed a man from Mapperley after crashing into a tree while trying to evade police. Anthony Riley lost control of the Volvo XC90 after hitting 89mph in a 30 zone. The 32-year-old survived the crash but his front seat passenger died at the scene. Riley was jailed for 10 years after admitting causing death by dangerous driving.

More than 30 drivers were stopped as part of ongoing efforts to crackdown on a noisy “boy racers” in hotspots across Gedling borough. Police teams focussed their efforts on tackling dangerous driving in hot-spot areas including Colwick Industrial Estate.  Patrolling officers spoke to drivers and provided education – and took enforcement action where necessary. During the crackdown, 30 vehicles were stopped, 22 people received words of advice, five individuals received warnings and four vehicles were seized

A revamped hardware store reopened its doors – much to the delight of locals. Carlton Hardware is based on Carlton Hill and the owners recently demolished the old store, that had housed the business for 37 years, to make way for a new premises that now provides more space for products and services that will delight locals. The business was first opened up back in the eighties by Mustafa Ali, known locally as ‘Steve’ and is now run with the support from family members Muza, Hussein, Ammar and Mo.

A historic hall in Woodborough reopened its doors to the public after being rescued by new owners. Grade 11* listed Woodborough Hall, was placed in receivership in October 2021 and rescued by new owners in July 2022.  Following five months of refurbishment, the historic Hall was once again open and ready to welcome both new and old customers.

A pothole has appeared on the £49m Gedling Access Road just nine months after the flagship road opened to motorists. The long-delayed 3.8km carriageway, named Colliery Way, opened in the Spring and cost £8.619m more than its initial £40m budget. Tens of thousands of cars have since used the road, which was planned to ease traffic in Gedling village and offer better transport links to motorists. But Nottinghamshire County Council has come under fire after a pothole appeared on the road nine months to the day since it opened on March 22.

Gedling Eye continues to look back at the highs and lows of 2022 across the borough, continuing with July to September …

• You can read our round-up covering January to March here
• You can read our round-up covering April to June here

JULY

An off-duty police officer leapt into action after spotting a shoplifter stealing from a store while he was out DIY shopping in Arnold. The officer was perusing the paint aisle at Homebase in Mansfield Road when he heard a disturbance at the tills. After speaking with staff, he detained and searched a suspect accused of stealing goods. Wayne Lee, aged 52, was charged with two counts of theft – the second of which related to an unrelated incident at a supermarket in Hucknall.

A principal told school leavers they SHALL go to the ball after agreeing the academy would pay their tickets to its first ever prom. Marcus Shepherd, principal of The Wells Academy in Mapperley, said he did not want cost to be a barrier to year 11 students in attending an “important rite of passage”.  The academy paid for tickets for all of year 11 to go to their prom at the prestigious Colwick Hall Hotel on Tuesday. The ticket price included the food, the DJ and even a taxi service laid on from the academy for pupils who needed help with transport to the event.

Toby Carvery announced it wouldn’t be serving lamb on Sundays, according to The Sun. Many of the restaurant’s customers now aren’t happy after the chain, which operates a restaurant at Colwick, announced the big change to its menu. The chain told customers that lamb is now only available on certain dates due to a supplier issue. Livid customer Ben Marriott, who works as a butcher, posted online: “Just come for a carvery to be told you’re not doing lamb unless it’s a special occasion. “That’s so rubbish – makes Sundays no different from any other day now. Fuming.”

A teenage boy was charged in relation to an assault in Arnold that left a man in hospital. Police were called to Coppice Road and found a man injured. The victim was taken to Queen’s Medical Centre with injuries that were not life-altering or life-threatening. A second man received minor injuries in the same incident but did not require hospital treatment. Following extensive enquiries, a 17-year-old boy was charged with wounding with intent and possessing a knife blade / sharp pointed article in a public place.

More than 10,000 households across Gedling borough started to receive their first direct payments to help with the soaring cost of living. Low-income households on means-tested benefits receive the money automatically in their bank, building society or credit union account. Although the payments are designed to help with rising prices, and specifically soaring energy bills, recipients could spend or save the money as they see fit.

Arnold Lane reopened fully for the first time after being shut to traffic for nearly four months while works were underway on a new tie-in road to join it up to the new Colliery Way. Arnold Lane was realigned to the five-arm roundabout on Colliery Way, meaning that local traffic for Gedling Village will now need to use the roundabout as part of their journey.

A new breakfast club aimed at bringing members of the Armed Forces together was set to launch at Richard Herrod Centre in Carlton. The club is open to any active or ex-members of the forces, including veterans and any family members connected to the forces. The club offers breakfast and drinks and also promotes some of the services available to military members in the borough of Gedling.

An additional £750,000 was awarded to Colwick and Netherfield through the fourth round of the Conservative Government’s Safer Streets Fund, which will help to make streets safer through projects to crack down on neighbourhood crimes and prevent violence against women and girls. The additional funding, part of the £50 million from the latest round of the Safer Streets Fund, is planned for investment in essential measures, including extra CCTV and improved street lighting.

Line of Duty star Vicky McClure came face-to-face with Nottinghamshire Police’s real-life ‘AC-12’ before officially opening the new multi-million pound joint police and fire headquarters in Arnold. The Nottingham-born actress, known to millions as Detective Inspector Kate Fleming in the BBC hit drama, was given a guided tour by Chief Constable Craig Guildford of the force’s professional standards department as well as other key departments including the force control room, digital forensics and operational support before cutting the ribbon at Thursday’s ceremony.

Five Gedling borough parks were named as some of the UK’s best following a record-breaking year. Gedling Country Park, Arnot Hill Park, Burton Road Jubilee Park, Bestwood Country Park and for the first time, Breck Hill Park, joined a record number of parks and green spaces collecting a Green Flag Award – the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

Gedling Borough Council confirmed that they will be submitting a funding bid for £50 million through the government’s latest round of ‘Levelling up’ funding to revitalise Arnold town centre.  The bid will include a new, multi-purpose leisure centre and theatre to replace the current Arnold Leisure Centre and Bonington Theatre, which have been in place since the 1980s. The bid will also include plans for a new library and a public realm space to drive footfall into the northern part of the town centre and create improved access from Front Street to the high street. 

AUGUST

Police arrested a wanted man who was spotted in a Mapperley restaurant. Officers attended a restaurant in Woodborough Road following calls that the known suspect could be inside. A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, obstructing police, and possession of a bladed article, while he was also wanted on re-call to prison. A search was then carried out at a house in Foxhill Road East, Carlton, which resulted in a quantity of cash and suspected cocaine being seized from inside.

Parents were urged to warn their children about the dangers of playing near train tracks after CCTV footage showed youngsters dancing in front on an on-coming train at Burton Joyce. The shocking footage showed three school-age children walking across a pedestrian crossing near the village before stopping in the middle of the track. Two girls then hop off the path just inches from the live rails where they dance as a train approaches, before sprinting off.

A brand new Aldi store at Teal Park near Netherfield opened its doors to customers with Paralympics GB athletics hero Richard Whitehead cutting the ribbon alongside residents from local care home, Rivendell View. The Magenta Way store near Netherfield will be run by Store Manager Stuart Levick, along with a team of 38 colleagues from the local community. Paralympics GB gold medallist Richard Whitehead gave away complimentary bags of fresh fruit and vegetables from Aldi’s famous Super 6 range to the first 30 customers in the queue.

A persistent offender was jailed after he was spotted pushing a stolen fridge freezer down the road in a wheelbarrow in Calverton. Officers patrolling the village were alerted to the theft of the fridge, a washing machine, dish washer and toilet from a nearby property. Witnesses later reported seeing a man wheeling the fridge through the village. Michael Wilson was arrested at his home by police officers. On searching the property, officers found the fridge freezer which was still in its packaging.

The annual Stoke Bardolph Scarecrow festival saw residents in the village decorate the outside of their homes or roadside verges with a colourful array of homemade straw-filled sculptures. Among the best scarecrows was a CSI team investigating a murder, an eco-friendly Hulk made from compostable bags and a karate instructor. Trent Valley Councillors Mike Adams and Sam Smith were invited to judge the event and chose the village tennis match as winners.

A £1.14bn devolution deal was agreed to try to kick start economic development in the East Midlands and create an elected regional mayor. Devolution involves some key powers and funding transferring to regional politicians from Whitehall. It means more political power locally on planning, housing, roads, infrastructure and economic development.

This is Gedling news magazine was launched covering in-depth news and views from across Gedling borough. This is Gedling was published for the first time with residents able to pick up a free copy from a large number of venues across Gedling borough – including most bars, leisure centres, medical centres, libraries and takeaways. The magazine featured forty pages of news, features and lifestyle articles all about the borough.

SEPTEMBER

The scale of the crisis in local bus services was laid bare after operator Trentbarton confirmed it has 130 vacant driver jobs. The company, which runs dozens of routes around the East Midlands, was forced to cancel 1,614 individual timed services in just two weeks as a result of the staff shortage, leading to concerns of communities being left “high and dry”.

Gedling Borough Council announced it has scrapped plans to sell council-owned land near Killisick Lane in Arnold. The land had previously been allocated for housing in the 2018 cross-party agreed Local Plan but following a consultation with local residents, senior councillors decided not to allow a sale of the land to go ahead. Following comments from a consultation and representations from councillors who represent the area affected, a decision was made by senior councillors not to take any consideration of sale of the land any further and review the feedback provided.

Nottingham bar Hooters sparked a debate online after announcing it was sponsoring a Burton Joyce youth football team for the forthcoming season. Hooters revealed the deal made with Burton Joyce’s under-10s side and posted pictures of a photocall held to celebrate the sponsorship. The Nottingham restaurant is the currently the only franchise left in the UK – although a Liverpool restaurant is set to open shortly. But the move ruffled feathers, with a national TV debate planned following the announcement.

Police charged three men after Lego sets and toys worth thousands of pounds were stolen from three stores. Conlon McDonagh, 22, of Gregory Road, Southall, Ealing; Tom McDonagh, 22, of Greenwood Avenue, Enfield; and Patrick Ward, 22, of Gregory Road, Southall were charged with three counts of theft.

A popular Mapperley cafe announced it will close for good. Holy Cannoli, in Plains Road, made the announcement on their Facebook page. They said: “Sadly Holy Cannoli is closing down. “We want to extend our thanks to all the loyal customers who have supported us over the years we’ve been open. This fantastic journey wouldn’t have been possible without you all, however, after sincere thought and consideration, we have made the decision to close our doors.”

Controversial plans to allow a property in Netherfield to be converted into an HMO were allowed by councillors who were given the chance to reject the scheme. The plans were submitted to change a property on Chandos Street into a seven-bedroomed HMO and were discussed at Gedling Borough Council’s Planning Committee meeting at the Civic Centre in Arnold. There were eight votes for the application and 7 against.

Queen Elizabeth II died aged 96. Charles, the former Prince of Wales, was named as King Charles III. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: ‘The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon’. The Queen’s death saw Britain and her Commonwealth realms enter into a ten-day period of mourning.

Gedling WBA featherweight champion boxer Leigh Wood was forced to withdraw from his title defence against Mauricio Lara due to injury. Wood was due to defend his WBA ‘regular’ featherweight title on 24 September 24 against Mauricio Lara at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham. Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn said Wood had suffered a torn bicep.

The ribbon was cut on a new development in Gedling that will create 400 new homes in the area. The Mayor and Mayoress of Gedling, together with the Rosie May Foundation, a charity carrying out incredible work within the community, were invited to cut the ribbon and officially open Keepmoat’s Park View development sales centre and showhome.  During the visit, the Mayor and Mayoress were given an in-depth tour of Phase 2 of the development located on Arnold Lane and overlooks Gedling Country Park. Once complete, it will provide an additional 400 homes in the area. 

A new bench paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II was installed in an Arnold park. The bench was commissioned for the Jubilee earlier this year and arrived at Church Lane Recreation Ground. The funds for the new seat were raised by Ward councillors Michael Payne and Kathryn Fox.

Gedling Eye continues to look back at the highs and lows of 2022 across the borough, continuing with April to June …

You can read our review of January to March HERE

APRIL

A robber who fled the country after stealing around £41,000 worth of mobile phones from a Netherfield store was jailed. Marih Dimitru posed as a customer with another man before threatening members of staff at the now former Carphone Warehouse store at the Victoria Retail Park. Dimitru demanded access to the safe and when it was opened by the fearful staff he filled bin liners with boxed mobile phones. Dimitru and the other man then left via the front entrance with a haul of around 80 phones and fled in a car.

Generous Carlton and Netherfield residents helped send more than 100 bags of vital supplies to Ukraine. Pub-goers made the donations at collection points based at the Fox and Hounds pub on Station Road in Carlton and Netherfield’s Lime Trees nursery and also It’s Inn The Bank pub on Victoria Road.

A Nottingham man’s fishing trip in the middle of the night on the River Trent in Colwick cost him £619 after he illegally removed fish from the river. 37-year-old Piotr Czyzak, of Leonard Street, Nottingham, was found guilty to the offence of removing the fish. He was fined £440 and ordered to pay £135 costs and a victim surcharge of £44. 

Colwick residents were advised to keep their windows and doors shut while firefighters tackled a blaze involving 20 tonnes of waste paper. Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service Crews from Carlton, London Road, Arnold, Highfields and Edwinstowe, including the Aerial Ladder Platform, worked to extinguish the fire.

Two extraordinary young people from Gedling borough were celebrated in a special awards ceremony aimed at shining a light on inspiring youngsters from Nottinghamshire. Taona Makunganya won the Bringing People Together Award and Khushi Kaur won the Young Performer of the Year Award at the Live Our Best Life Awards 2022 ceremony, organised by Nottinghamshire Police and held at Nottingham Forest Football Club.

Plans were unveiled to improve the “heavily congested” A60 corridor between Redhill and Nottingham that would see new bus lanes created without being “detrimental” to journey times for car drivers, council documents state. The new bus lanes would be installed at three ‘pinch points’ along the busy road, including close to the roundabout junction with the A614, where large queues form during rush hours.

Thousands of households across Gedling borough started receiving their £150 council tax rebate to help reduce the impact of national energy cost increases. As well as the £150 payment for all residents in bands A-D, the Government allocated Gedling Borough Council with £172,800 discretionary funding. The funding was to be used to award an extra £23 to those households in bands A-D who were receiving Council Tax Support as well as paying £173 to all those households receiving Council Tax Support in properties with a band higher than band D.

MAY

Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry  pleaded guilty to five speeding offences in the space of four months. Mrs Henry, 51, of Giltbrook, was elected as a Conservative commissioner in May 2021 and was responsible for holding Nottinghamshire Police to account and overseeing its spending.

Exlibris, the masked book sellers of Nottingham, marked an end to their 20 years of charity book sales with a final event in Carlton over the weekend. Bob and Chris Cann, the founders of the charity booksale, organised a final sale at their property in Vernon Avenue. The mammoth event ran for three long weekends with the unsold books donated to Books for Good Causes foundation in South Yorkshire and a collection of children’s books will be given to foodbanks. The profits from the final sale went to the local charities WE R HERE and Host Nottingham. The charity also collected tins of vegetarian food from the visitors to hand over to Netherfield Food bank. 

A convicted drug dealer who was on the run for four years ago was back behind bars after being caught in Papplewick. Richard Brown was driving a Vauxhall Astra when he was stopped by officers in Main Street, due to the vehicle being insured only to a woman. At the time, officers did not know they had pulled over someone who had been a wanted man since 2018. Desperate to avoid capture, the 30-year-old gave false details but the photo of the person whose details he gave was clearly not him. He had previously been jailed for three years for possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs.

Michael Payne was selected as Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Gedling. Mr Payne, a Nottinghamshire County Councillor has been Deputy Leader of Gedling Borough Council for 11 years. He was one of six candidates to speak at a hustings event prior to the vote, which was held at Bonington Theatre in Arnold for Labour Party members.

It was announced that a community library in Burton Joyce would receive an upgrade ito turn it into a ‘village hub’. Burton Joyce Library will now be upgraded after Nottinghamshire County Council received £170,000 from the Government and the Arts Council. The library will be refurbished and established as a ‘hub’ for the community.

A number of pubs in Arnold, Colwick and Mapperley offered pints for just 6p in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Pub chain Greene King announced that their customers could enjoy an incredibly cheap pint of Greene King IPA at participating pubs if they used a secret codeword. The pub chain offered the 6p pints at 408 of its sites because that was the average cost of a pint during the Queen’s ascension to the throne in 1952.

JUNE

A medal and coins to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was presented to an Arnold volunteer cop to reward him for his long service. Special Constable Alan Marwood is the force’s longest-serving recipient and has been with Notts Police for 52 years. The volunteer, from Arnold, joined Nottinghamshire Police in 1970 and has policed many different areas in the county, said he was delighted to receive the special commemorative medal. He said: “It’s a very nice gesture. When you take the oath you swear to serve our Sovereign Lady, so the Queen’s been ‘the boss’ for 70 years.

Frontline workers and community heroes from Gedling borough were recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours. A charity leader and youth project director were both been recognised for their contribution to society over the last 12 months. Damian Reynolds, from Mapperley, was recognised for charitable services to the Youth Sector and David Wakelin, from Ravenshead, was recognised for services to Young People in Nottingham.

Gedling‘s beacon was officially lit in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The special ceremony was held during at Gedling Country Park. The event drew a huge crowd with hundreds of residents turning out to see the momentous occasion. The park beacon had only been lit once before and that was to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday back in 2016.

A Netherfield man who was accused of sexually assaulting a young girl in a shop was jailed. Matthew Harrison, aged 32, targeted the child as she was shopping with her father at a store in Mansfield Road, Nottingham, at around 4pm on Sunday, January 16. Harrison, who was working in the store at the time, lured the primary school aged child away from her father under the guise of helping her to find a favourite treat. Harrison, of Kenrick Street, was exposed when the child later told her parents about what had happened.

Eight lucky neighbours from Arnold were awarded a share of £270,000 in the People’s Postcode Lottery when NG5 6RT was announced as the winning postcode. Seven of the neighbours won £30,000, while the eighth landed £60,000, playing with two tickets.

A prolific shoplifter who stole thousands of pounds worth of items from a store in Carlton was locked up. Dean Earl carried out a string of thefts during a stealing spree that lasted several months. The 40-year-old targeted the same Wilko store in Carlton Square, Carlton, on three separate occasions. In total, he walked out with more than £2,500 worth of items.

Vernon Coaker was given the freedom of the borough after serving Gedling for 25 years as an MP. Lord Coaker, now a peer, was awarded the honour at an extraordinary meeting of Gedling Borough Council. During Lord Coaker’s extensive career as the MP for Gedling, he was elected six times and had several high profile government posts including the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence and Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Lord Coaker has also had roles on an international stage, supporting UNICEF and, more recently, raising the profile of Modern Slavery as a member of the Council of Europe. 

Latest figures were published by The Rivers Trust advising that untreated sewage was discharged into the Ouse Dyke for 376 hours in 2021. The data showed there were 218 incidents of raw sewage being poured into the dyke. The main source of sewage into the dyke is the outlet on Burton Road near the Inn For A Penny pub in Carlton. 2021 figures also revealed that a storm overflow on Bonner Lane outside Calverton pumped sewage into Grimesmoor Dyke 37 times for 25 hours, a sewage storm overflow at the Shelt Hill Pumping Station near Woodborough was used 41 times for 791 hours and the emergency overflow at Burton Joyce by the River Trent was activated 51 times for 724 hours during 2021. Severn Trent Water said plans were in place to reduce the use of storm overflows locally.