The search is on in Gedling borough to find Britain’s ‘Hobby Hero’ as part of a competition that aims to find the nation’s greatest hobbyist and help them share their pastime with others in an effort to get the nation connected again.

It’s an initiative being supported by ticketing and event platform Eventbrite along with one of the world leading experts on wellbeing, Professor Cary Cooper, who advocates using hobbies to boost our mental health.

The ticketing and event platform is now calling on people in Gedling borough to enter a national competition to win a £5,000 prize –£2,500 in cash and £2,500 worth of Eventbrite fee credits and expert mentoring to share their passion with others – by revealing all about their curious, creative and meaningful hobbies.

A recent survey by the Pew Institute asked people around the world to list what gives them meaning and happiness in life, and Britain was the only country in the world to put ‘hobbies’ in its top three answers, alongside family and friends.  

By definition, hobbies bring people pleasure and can positively impact mental health and wellbeing, offering the opportunity to lose themselves in an absorbing activity, stretch their skills and meet with others.

Hobbies can be enjoyed by anyone, and celebrities are no different. Beyonce is known for her love of beekeeping, Seth Rogan has spread his love of pottery on social media and Julia Roberts is famous in the knitting community.  

Psychologist Professor Cary Cooper agrees, saying: “The pandemic, the rising cost of living, and Brexit have left people feeling stressed and out of control. People want to do something they can control, and hobbies offer just that. They can boost your wellbeing because whether you’re knitting, running, hula hooping, abseiling or baking: hobbies offer a great way to take your mind from the stresses of the world and work, take you away from the screen and let you do something positive, creative and fulfilling. 

“Enjoying a hobby with someone else or in groups is even more beneficial because it provides motivation and social connection.  Many people take up a hobby to form new friendships, even if it’s an unconscious thing to them.  Even those hobbies that seem insular at first, such as model airplane building or stamp collecting, usually extend our social network as those hobbyists will end up flying their plane or discussing engine problems with others and stamp collectors will swap and buy from one another.

“After two years of social isolation, it’s a joy to see people connecting through hobbies that bring them pleasure and, depending on what you do, improve physical fitness, memory or mood.  I recommend taking up a new hobby to many of my patients.”

In-person and online activities on Eventbrite such as beekeeping, pottery and yoga helped attendees stay occupied throughout the pandemic. During several lockdowns, Eventbrite saw thousands either continue to pursue their interests or take up new hobbies by joining online workshops and classes.  

Eventbrite’s Sebastian Boppert says: “As we move out of the pandemic, we want to help the nation reconnect through live events. Hobbies are great for our health, they enhance our skills and allow us to make new friends. It’s time we celebrated our hobbies – from the weird and wacky to the crafty and creative – for the benefits they give us and the talent they produce.  Our Hobby Hero winner will be someone with enthusiasm and dedication who wants to share it with others and maybe even earn some money with it.”

To enter Eventbrite’s search for Britain’s Hobby Hero, simply visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/blog/hobby-hero and fill out the short entry form on behalf of yourself or someone else. 

Semi-finalists will be chosen from each region in the UK to reach the national final and a panel of judges will choose the winner.  The deadline for entries is Wednesday, June 15, 2022

The Queen has today thanked the nation and also unveiled a new portrait to mark the start of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

In a special message released to honour her 70-year reign, the Queen, 96, said ‘many happy memories’ would be formed throughout the festivities. 

Her Majesty said she hoped the Jubilee weekend would provide an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the last 70 years and spoke of looking to the future with ‘confidence and enthusiasm’.

The new official Platinum Jubilee portrait was unveiled along with her message, showing the monarch photographed sitting on a cushioned window seat at her Windsor Castle home.

The image was taken by photographer Ranald Mackechnie in the Queen’s private apartments at Windsor.

In her message to the nation, the Queen said: “Thank you to everyone who has been involved in convening communities, families, neighbours and friends to mark my Platinum Jubilee, in the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth. I know that many happy memories will be created at these festive occasions.

“I continue to be inspired by the goodwill shown to me, and hope that the coming days will provide an opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved during the last seventy years, as we look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm.” 

The message was signed Elizabeth R.

A number of events are being held across Gedling borough to mark the occasion, including a beacon lighting at Gedling Country Park and quizzes, family fun days and BBQs.

You can find the list of events we know about HERE

Post your tribute to The Queen in our new-look comments section below…

As people in Gedling borough gear up for a three-day week, it’s all eyes on the weather forecast for the upcoming long weekend.

From Thursday, things look likely to settle down for most with good periods of dry and fine weather but there is a small chance of one or two showers for central parts of England.   

From late on Friday there is still a good deal of uncertainty, with settled weather on the cards for most with patchy cloud and sunny spells. However, a plume of warm air from the continent could influence the weather from Friday night, bringing overnight showers here that could linger for a time early on Saturday.  

The main source of uncertainty is how far north this plume of warm air will extend, bringing with it an increased risk of some showery outbreaks through the weekend.  

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Helen Caughey said: “Many parts of England will see settled conditions over the long Jubilee Weekend, with plenty of dry weather and good spells of sunshine. Temperatures will be widely into the low 20s, feeling warmer in the sunshine, although temperatures will drop off quickly into the evenings.  

“The main source of uncertainty for the weekend itself is to do with how far a plume of warm air, currently across the continent, encroaches over southern areas of the UK from late on Friday. The latest outlook suggests that this plume of warm air could bring a spell of showers on Friday and into early Saturday, with some showers hanging around for a time on Saturday.”  

With a busy Jubilee Weekend on the roads expected, RAC traffic spokesman Rod Dennis said: “The fact the bank holidays coincide with the end of half-term in many places has the potential to put some extra pressure on the road network, so planning a journey carefully is important to beat the worst of any queues. 

“The best way for drivers to avoid breaking down this week is to check over their vehicles before setting out – yet our research shows less than a fifth do this routinely. Making sure oil, coolant and screenwash are all at the right levels takes just minutes, as does ensuring tyres are free of damage and are inflated properly. A bit of TLC now could make the difference between a straightforward trip and one beset by a breakdown.”