Heroes were celebrated in Gedling borough as the winners of this year’s Pride of Gedling Awards were presented with their prizes.
The annual awards, held on Wednesday night (November 10), recognise those who go above and beyond to support communities in the borough in different ways.
This year, entries flooded in from people keen to highlight the unsung heroes – but only with normally only one winner in each category – it had been a difficult time for judges.
This year’s Business in the Community Award was given to two worthy winners. Netherfield pub It’s Inn The Bank and Ravenshead Farm Shop were both handed the prize for their incredible work during the pandemic, with both businesses feeding local people in the area during lockdowns. The Bank also put on entertainment via their Facebook page and helped prepare meals at the council’s Humanitarian Centre.
The Community Heroes Award went to Cullen Morathota and Bernice Thomas. The duo were recognised for coming to the aid of a man who had been involved in a motorcycle accident who they found by the side of the road. They administered first aid until emergency services could get him to hospital.
All those nominated for this year’s Environmental Hero Award were handed a prize. Judges felt it would be too difficult not to recognise The Wilkins Group, Amy and Ella Meek, Martin Dermody and Frank Knowles for all their hard work introducing green initiatives to help save the planet.
The Outstanding Community Project Award went to Emmanuel Church in Bestwood Village. They were recognised for cooking low-cost homemade meals for the whole community during lockdown.
Arnold Swimming Club was crowned this year’s Inspirational Healthy Lifestyles Award winner. They were recognised for being at the heart of the community for 95 years. During lockdown they helped lift the spirits of their members by setting challenges for them – even without the water.
The winner of The Dylan Barker (Young Person of the Year) Award, sponsored by Gedling Eye, was Isobel Somerton. Isobel was handed the prize by judges after bravely facing two life threatning conditions and hospital admissions while studying for her GCSEs. She also held a bone marrow register event in the community to help raise awareness.
The Overall Pride of Gedling Award went to Chris Channon MBE. Chris is a former Paralympian who, with his Pegasus system, made the 999 emergency call system more accessible for disabled and vulnerable people.
Gold medal winner Richard Whitehead scooped the lifetime achievement award after achieving incredible success in sport and for everything he has done to raise the profile of people with disabilities and to inspire millions of people across the world.
Two new Remembrance silhouettes have appeared outside Carlton Fire Station – with one paying a touching tribute to firefighters.
One silhouette features a Royal Air Force solider stood beside a propeller, which stands close to the fire station reception. This has been funded by Nottinghamshire County Council to replace the one vandalised and damaged prior to the pandemic.
The second silhouette of two firefighters tackling a blaze was funded by Nottinghamshire County Council and Gedling Borough Council, erected as a surprise for all the staff at Carlton Fire Station. It was a gesture of thanks for all the hard work and community support, especially throughout the last 18 months.
The two silhouettes were blessed on November 1 as part of a ceremony conducted by Pastor Ogle and attended by local councillors and the Mayor of Gedling Meredith Lawrence.
The welder of the two silhouettes, who is based at a local company, has a particular connection to Carlton Fire Station, after his American Red-Tailed Buzzard was rescued from a tree by firefighters at the station in January 2021.
Station Manager at Carlton Fire Station, Paul Harley, said: “We are delighted by these two silhouettes and want to thank the kind generosity of our partners and the community who have gifted these to us.
“Both as a station and as Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service we are proud of the contribution we made during the pandemic to keep our communities safe and it is very touching to be recognised in this way, especially ahead of Remembrance Day.”
Police found a large quantity of cash hidden down the trousers of a driver they stopped in Arnold.
Gedling Operation Reacher were out on patrol on Coppice Road when a Kia Sportage caught their attention.
Officers got behind the vehicle and pulled it over on Rolleston Drive.
The driver, after initially giving false details, then admitted to not having any insurance.
It then became apparent when his details came back that he was a disqualified driver.
A search of him also discovered a bundle of cash hidden down the front of his trousers.
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “A large quantity of cash being hidden from cops might mean it hasn’t been earned legitimately so we arrested the driver.
“The driver has been charged with driving whilst disqualified and for driving with no insurance and will appear at court.
“He remains under investigation on suspicion of possessing criminal property whilst cops try and establish where the money has come from.
The Kia was seized and taken to the police compound.
A Gedling activist is one of three Extinction Rebellion (XR) members holding sit-down protest today (November 10) at locations across Nottingham city centre.
Jeannie Thompson, 71 carried out her protest near the Boots Library on Shakespeare Street.
The grandparent from Gedling said: “I am sitting in the street because I want my granddaughter and you to have a happy secure life.
“I am worried that you won’t because of climate change. It will bring floods, heatwaves, droughts, famine, and terrible storms. Millions of humans and animals will die.”
The three protests began at 11am,coincide with other actions all over the UK today, some of which will be disrupting traffic.
All protesters in Nottingham today chose to use pedestrian areas to bring their messages to the public’s attention.
Karunavaca Lake, 71, a retired psychotherapist, sat at the junction of Clumber Street and Long Row,
PICTURED: Karunavaca Lake, 71, a retired psychotherapist, protesting in Nottingham city centre
She said: “I’m sitting here because I’m scared and desperate and furious. COP26 is a disaster, I see world leaders failing us, betraying us on a huge scale. I can’t trust or rely on those leaders, or a system that is all about profit and exploitation. But I do still believe in people – people all over the world – in their millions, having the courage and confidence to come out and act together. In support of life, of all our futures we have to act now.”
Sitting near the Portland Building at the University of Nottingham is Etienne Stott.
The 42-year-old sports coach and London 2012 Olympic Champion said: “I feel angry that the future which young people are facing is bleak. They are being cruelly disenfranchised as the can is kicked down the road into their adulthood, where they will be left dealing with the consequences.
“2050 targets sound good, but they are too late given the remaining carbon budget to keep to the 1.5 degree limit. I hope they can find a way to make their voices heard and their feelings known.”
Despite the UK hosting the COP26 negotiations, the government’s own Climate Change Committee (CCC) has said the government is failing on its targets. The committee’s report has called the current government’s actions so far as “disappointing” and that the UK will miss climate goals by ‘huge margin’ without new policies.
A statement from XR Nottingham said “We plan to continue to use peaceful civil disobedience methods to highlight the failures of politicians at local and national level to create appropriate policies to tackle the climate and ecological emergency. Without strong leadership and solid promises of action from COP26, emissions are projected to keep rising which put the world on a dangerous path to disaster on a terrifying scale.”
A new multi-million pound Sainsbury’s store in Colwick opened its doors for the first time to customers this morning (November 10).
The new 53,000 sq.ft store was opened by The Mayor of Gedling Meredith Lawrence, who cut a ribbon before customers flooded in.
He was joined for the ribbon cutting by St John the Baptist Primary School pupil, Jace Pikett, who won a competition to design a limited-edition Sainsbury’s bag for life to mark the launch of the new store.
Work on the site situated off Colwick Loop Road, begin in late 2020 and continued at pace despite the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The technology within the new supermarket will enable it to operate as one of Sainsbury’s most sustainable stores ever and its arrival represents a substantial boost for the local economy.
Over 150 of the store’s colleagues are new to Sainsbury’s and most of the new store team live locally in Colwick, Nottingham or the surrounding area.
PICTURED: The new store opened its doors today (PHOTO: Gedling Eye)There is a large variety of fruit and veg on offer (PHOTO: Gedling Eye)PICTURED: The new store is spaciousA large clothing section greets customers when they enter the new store (PHOTO: Gedling Eye)Gedling Mayor Meredith Lawrence gave a speech to staff before declaring the store open (PHOTO: Gedling Eye)
Sainsbury’s Colwick contains a Specsavers store and a Starbucks Cafe, both of which opened today (10) . The opening of the Specsavers store marks the 70th branch to open inside a Sainsbury’s since the two companies entered a partnership together in 2016.
An Argos store is also situated inside the supermarket, with the superstore on Victoria Retail Park now closing its doors after relocating to the new Sainsbury’s.
Paul Wain, Sainsbury’s Colwick Store Manager, said:“My fantastic new team and I are thoroughly enjoying welcoming customers to the store for the first time today and are proud to be able to provide a wide range of high-quality products at great prices. We’re really looking forward to becoming an integral part of the community here in Colwick. ”
Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s property director said:“We’re delighted to now be able to open our doors to shoppers in Colwick. We have created over 200 jobs at the new store and are really pleased to have delivered one of our greenest supermarkets to date, ensuring it’s a supermarket that’s built for the future. The initial response to Sainsbury’s Colwick has been fantastic and I’d like to thank the local community for the support throughout the construction phase, and for the warm welcome we’ve had so far.”
Tom Randall, Member of Parliament for Gedling said:“This is a really exciting time for the Colwick community. It is especially pleasing for me to be able to welcome Sainsbury’s to the area as well as the significant investment and the new jobs created through the construction period and now within the store.
“I look forward to continuing to work with Sainsbury’s and wish the new team every success.”
Leader of Gedling Council, Councillor John Clarke said:“I’m delighted that Sainsbury’s has opened its new store to customers.
“In my role as neighbouring Netherfield ward councillor, I know this is a welcome addition to the local community and will benefit a great number of people in the local area. “
Portfolio Holder for Growth and Regeneration at Gedling Borough Council, Cllr Jenny Hollingsworth said: “The new Sainsbury’s Colwick supermarket will lead the way for future supermarkets, with a range of exciting features, which make it truly sustainable.
“The investment is a real boost to the local area and is providing a range of opportunities for local people to benefit from.”
The bridge, if approved, would be the first to be built over the Trent in Nottingham for more than 60 years.
Many residents in Gedling borough had hoped the new bridge would be placed near Colwick or Netherfield, taking them across the river to the National Watersports Centre.
“It’s disappointing,” said Ray Clarke, who lives in Colwick.
“It’s too far away for me to use. I’d have to get a bus and then take a lengthy walk.
“I was hoping it would be sited behind the Victoria Retail Park and take people across to Radcliffe or the National Watersports Centre. That would have been ideal.
“It would have given people somewhere else to go.”
Lisa Banks lives in Carlton. She messaged to say that she thought the bridge was being built for ‘posh people’.
“The only people using it will be those living in the trendy flats and the posh lot in Lady Bay. It will hardly be used by normal folk, It’s too out the way. A waste of cash if you ask me.”
Benjamin Harris thought it was a ‘missed opportunity’.
“Grabbing a coffee from Starbucks and then crossing the river to take a stroll around the Watersports Centre would have been great as there is so much to do there.”
“We just get pointless expensive roads and more houses,” added Nicky Betts, an IT consultant who lives in Netherfield.
“It would be nice for this side of Notts to get a project that would enhance people’s lives rather than just something functional like shops, houses and roads.”
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook. You can also email your views to us at news@gedlingeye.co.uk
MPs have voted to reduce the amount of raw sewage dumped into England’s rivers.
MPs yesterday voted 283 to 163, majority 120, to approve a Government concession which aims to cut the dumping of raw sewage into waterways.
The amendment to the Environment Bill will legally require water firms to make a “progressive reduction” in dumping raw sewage into waterways.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow issued a warning to water companies saying she will be “watching” their progress on sewage discharges “very closely”.
Pow said:“I am aware of some wildly inaccurate claims which have been circulating online that we are somehow legalising the dumping of sewage. We are not.”
Gedling borough MPs Tom Randall and Mark Spencer voted on imposing a legal obligation on water providers to reduce sewage discharges into our sea and rivers, but did not support an amendment by the Duke of Wellington, which called for utility firms to aim to stop the process altogether.
Martin Salter, of the Angling Trust, said the wording of the government’s amendment was weaker than the Lords’ amendment and did not go far enough.
“At a time when public trust in politicians has once again been shaken, we hope MPs will stand firm, and insist on clarity and action by ministers to create a pathway out of pollution,” he said.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has defended the amendment.
The government said: “The amount of sewage discharged by water companies into our rivers is unacceptable. We have made it crystal clear to water companies that they must significantly reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows as a priority.
“We have every confidence that the provisions in this bill will absolutely deliver progressive reductions in the harm caused by storm overflows, and any suggestion to the contrary is both disingenuous and untrue.”
Mr Randall came out and defended his decision to vote against the Lords amendment after the initial vote.
He said: “The [Lords] amendment came with no plan on how it might be delivered and there was no impact assessment. Nor do we know the cost.
“The Government took the view that it would have been irresponsible to put this into the Bill without a detailed plan, signing a blank cheque on behalf of bill payers.
“The cost of eliminating storm overflows entirely would potentially be enormous,” said Mr Randall.
A woman dying of cancer used her final words to speak of her anger and sadness after her great niece and nephew defrauded her out of thousands of pounds.
Twins Jenna and Jon Dyer, 36, stole more than £14,000 from their 91-year-old great aunt over a three-month period – using her cards to steal cash from three different accounts.
The victim, who had never been in debt before, was later left with a court summons for an unpaid bill.
The twins’ fraudulent activities were uncovered when the Co-Operative bank contacted the victim to alert her of suspicious activity on her account.
Records from one account showed that the maximum amount of £250 was withdrawn daily from different locations over a four week period.
On August 29, 2019, Jenna even used one card to withdraw £250 as her mother and the victim sat waiting for her in a car. Showing a total disregard for what she was doing, she is said to have twirled on the spot as she returned with the cash.
Money was also stolen from the victim’s post office account that she would regularly make withdrawals from to help pay for her bills and outgoings.
Records showed that from June 13, 2019, excessive amounts of money were being withdrawn, with one account balance dwindling from over £5000 to just £300 in the space of three and a half months.
Just two days before the withdrawals started, the victim – still unaware of the previous thefts – had made Jenna a “permanent agent” on the account, meaning she was given her own card to make withdrawals as and when needed by the victim.
The total amount believed to have been stolen from the victim by the fraudulent use of her bank cards from 13 June 2019 to 30 September 2019 is believed to be over £14,000.
Further suspicions about the twins’ activities were raised when they sent a picture to their family of the victim asleep in a chair.
Tragically the victim died during the investigation, leaving her family heartbroken as they believed they may have been able to spend one more Christmas with her.
Jenna and Jon both appeared at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday (8 November) after pleading guilty to fraud by false representation.
Jenna, of Middledale Road, Carlton, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation.
Jon, of Westdale Lane East, Carlton, was sentenced to two years and eight months after pleading guilty to two counts of the same charge.
Marion Goldfeather, the twins’ mother, explained the devastating impact their actions had had on their victim.
She said: “Auntie Eva died just over six weeks after finding out that my daughter Jenna had stolen thousands of pounds from her and later found out that my son Jon was also involved.
“Our family have all been so deeply affected by Jenna and Jon’s callous crime. I want the judge and jury to know about Eva and what this has done to our family.
“Auntie Eva was 91-years-old, the matriarch of the family, the last of a past generation and she had been through so much.
“She would do anything for her family and she lived for her family and the family including Jenna and Jon knew this.
“They knew Auntie Eva would do anything she could for anyone, yet they tricked her and manipulated her, stealing her money that she worked hard for all her life.
“On finding out what Jenna had done she was inconsolable, felt betrayed, hurt and was heartbroken.
“She couldn’t comprehend how someone she cared for so much could hurt her so badly and show complete disregard for her feelings and their relationship.
“Despite being diagnosed with breast cancer she still had a zest for life and had so much to keep fighting for and she did – we were so proud of her.
“When the police investigation started and it came to light what had happened, Auntie Eva lost her fighting spirit. It changed her so much, she was giving up on life, it was clear for the family to see. This broke her.”
The twins mother explained how the more information that came to light the more her aunt gave up on life and sadly passed away.
“I am so ashamed and I will never forgive or forget what they did to her and what they have done to her memory when she showed them nothing but love.
“It feels as though we Eva’s family have served a sentence of 21 months in a prison full of nightmares, what-ifs and self-guilt. We need to be released from this torture so we can start to love again and that Eva can finally rest in peace.”
Detective Constable Nicola Watson, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Fraud Investigation Team, said: “This was an appalling abuse of trust in which both Jenna and Jon stole thousands from their own great aunt.
“They were both loved dearly by their great aunt and were in a position of trust to access her bank accounts and also her home but clearly acted for their own interests rather than those of their own family member.
“Naturally, this has been a very upsetting case for the family since the incident came to light and Eva sadly passed away before both Jon and Jenna were brought in front of the courts.
“The family have waited over two years for this day so I welcome the result from court and hope it gives both Jon and Jenna time to reflect and think about their actions and the huge emotional impact it’s had on their family and also on their great aunt.
“This has had such a devastating impact on the family. I hope now that they can all move on from this incident and begin to rebuild their lives once again.
“Nottinghamshire Police takes fraud and financial abuse extremely seriously. I hope the prison sentences passed will make anyone out there thinking of stealing from others, think again. We will take robust action against those who commit such offences.”
Nottinghamshire County Council will move more towards permanent road replacement repairs rather than filling in pot holes as part of its plan to improve how it fixes the roads in Gedling borough.
It comes as the authority reveals the outcome of its cross-party highways panel. The body was set up in the spring by the Conservative administration to combat what it described as “the biggest issue on the doorstep” in May’s election.
The council has been criticised in the past for the state of the county’s roads, with more than 476,000 repairs conducted countywide in the past five years.
The panel brought in independent consultants WSP and sought a review from the Local Government Association to look at how it currently operates and find ways to improve.
It also spoke with other county councils to see how work was conducted elsewhere and whether any methods could be used in Nottinghamshire.
The panel, with representatives from all political parties, agreed on the recommendations from its meetings and will present a 12-page report next week.
One of the biggest criticisms of the council’s pothole repairs at present is that the same location can end up being repaired on several occasions.
But now the council wants to shift its focus and improve on its repair methods.
Assessments from WSP, an international highways consultancy firm, found the council will still need to continue its current Viafix treatments – a form of cold asphalt repair which fills in specific holes – to “protect the safety of road users”.
However, it adds the authority should be using other forms of repair which replace whole stretches of road where possible, with documents revealing plans to use new technology and invest in equipment to improve the quality of repairs.
Councillor Neil Clarke (Con), transport and environment committee chairman, says the authority will also begin to target unclassified side roads which “cause comment” from disgruntled residents.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We want to move to a right repair on the first time around, so we will be looking at long-term, permanent repairs as much as possible rather than short-term, quick fixes of just filling [potholes] in.
“We won’t be able to eliminate that entirely, but we want to get to a point where members of the public can see their roads are being properly repaired.
“It’s the unclassified roads, the side roads, that generally cause comment, and we want to emphasise far more on these.”
The authority will also be moving from a one-year to a three-year programme of capital investment in its highways.
The existing one-year system was found to be a “barrier to long term planning”, with Cllr Clarke hoping a three-year model will give residents more “certainty” on when their road will be repaired.
He adds there will also be more focus on communication and engagement with the public, with the three-year programme to show a timescale for planned road repairs.
He said: “It means we will be able to tell people when we’re repairing their roads. We won’t fully commit all timescales, but it will be a three-year programme.
“If we can tell them when their road is going to be repaired, even if it’s six or nine months down the line, at least they know. It gives them certainty and it will hopefully satisfy them.”
The council is also planning to create a “single brand” for its road repairs, but the name of this brand is yet to be decided.
At present, road announcements come from both the council itself and Via East Midlands, its current road contractor.
Cllr Clarke adds the council will work closely with utility companies – which regularly conduct gas or waterpipe roadworks – to ensure work is done to a high standard and roads are “reinstated in a good condition”.
But he stresses it’s not going to be an overnight change and residents should not expect to see immediate differences in the standard of the council’s repair work for a few months.
The plan is due to be reviewed by the Transport and Environment Committee on November 17.
It will then go before Policy Committee at the start of December with a recommendation to create a long-term Highways Improvement Plan, used to deliver all elements of the 12-page document.
This plan will be reviewed in the long term by the existing cross-party panel.
