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These residents in Carlton and Gedling are reaping the rewards from greener heating with reduced household bills

Gedling Eye Reporter
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These residents in Carlton and Gedling are reaping the rewards from greener heating with reduced household bills

Residents say they are reaping the rewards from a new eco-friendly heating system being installed at properties across Carlton and Gedling.

So far 50 homes and bungalows managed by Jigsaw Homes Midlands have been fitted with air source heat pumps (ASHPs) over recent weeks.

The social housing provider aims to fit the pumps in 83 properties in total as part of the £1.5m upgrade project.

So far, almost 50 properties on Foxhill Road, Rushchliffe Avenue and Emerys Road have had the heat pumps successfully installed, along with new radiators and a hot water cylinder to replace outdated storage heaters. A smart system to control the pumps is also in place – and residents say they could not be happier.

Lillian and Trevor Hallan of Foxhill Road were one of the first to have their heat pump fitted.

“We couldn’t wait to have this new system fitted” said Lillian.

“It used to be freezing in the house in winter and I got to the point where I actually wanted to move because I couldn’t stand the thought of another winter and being cold.

“It has been brilliant so far and it only took a day and a half for them to come and fit everything. Everything is set for us, we don’t need to do anything with it. I don’t need to put the fire on – or a hoody – anymore. It’s brilliant and we are really happy.”

The ASHPs, from manufacturer Vaillant, are one of the most economical and eco-friendly heating solutions currently available. They work by extracting thermal energy (heat) from the outside air and converting this into heating and hot water. 

They are designed to work in cold temperatures and are suitable for all homes but need to be located outside a property. They need electricity to run, but 75% of the energy is generated from outside air, meaning only 25% is required from electricity. Crucially, they safeguard homeowners against fluctuations in energy prices.

The pumps help to reduce emissions and CO2 impact on Jigsaw’s properties, but will save residents money on fuel bills too.

Resident Geoff Taylor also of Foxhill Road said his smart meter had already shown a reduction in his heating bills, even though he has the heating set to a higher temperature for the benefit of his wife who suffers from ill health. 

PICTURED: An air source pump in operation on the outside of a home
PICTURED: Lillian and Trevor Hallan of Foxhill Road were one of the first to have an air heat pump fitted at their Carlton home.

“We need to have it higher for her, but it’s still cheaper than what we were paying before. It was easy to set to the time we want it to come on and go off again and I would never go back to the old storage heater system.”

Before work started on the installation, residents were invited to attend a special demonstrator roadshow at the Rushcliffe Avenue Community Centre. They got to see how the air source heat pumps work and to meet the team, including from sustainable refurbishment, building and maintenance specialists J Tomlinson Ltd who are carrying out the installation work.

The homes were identified as being suitable for the heat pumps during an energy efficiency improvement survey by Jigsaw Homes which included a range of measures including loft, cavity wall or external wall insulation, replacement of older windows or doors.

And now, residents at all 83 properties will also be offered a 6kw solar panel system to be fitted on the roof of their homes following a successful bid by Jigsaw Homes Midlands from the ECO innovation fund.

Danny Wyre, head of asset management at Jigsaw Homes Midlands said: “We know that many of our residents are keen to do more for the environment and we want to help them save money on fuel bills where possible.

“The day-to-day running of some of our homes was creating more carbon emissions than we would like and we wanted to work with our residents to improve on this – but it has to be right for them as well. 

“That’s why it’s great to hear that so many who have had the new system installed are so pleased with it and how it has made such a difference to their lives – and pockets. With the addition of the solar roof panels, this will make their homes even more energy efficient.”

Jigsaw Homes Midlands have worked with J Tomlinson Ltd Resident Liaison Officer who will continue to be on hand to keep residents informed on the installation process and use of the heat pumps.

Ant Newton, Regeneration Director at J Tomlinson said: “We have worked closely with Jigsaw to help identify and deliver low carbon and sustainable energy solutions to future proof homes. We want to make sure that residents are informed and happy and that we can support Jigsaw’s aim of reducing their carbon emissions and environmental impact.”

The work to install all 83 Air Source Heat Pumps is expected to be completed by mid December.

East Midlands Railway on hunt for new apprentice train drivers from Gedling borough

Gedling Eye Reporter
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East Midlands Railway on hunt for new apprentice train drivers from Gedling borough

East Midlands Railway (EMR) has launched a recruitment drive in a bid to to attract apprentice train drivers from across Gedling borough to its team.  

The train operating company is keen to encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply for the roles – which will be based at its depots in Nottingham and Derby.

The apprenticeship scheme is open to people aged 21 and above and involves a 12-month programme that blends theory and practical work in the classroom with practical skills development – such as; cab rides and signal box visits.

Successful applicants will have access to world-class facilities at EMR’s training academy where classroom learning is underpinned by state-of-the-art Virtual Reality (VR) that replicates real life railway situations.

EMR also has a cab simulator so apprentices can learn about train driving in a variety of different circumstances and conditions within a safe environment.

Paul Griffin, head of drivers for EMR, started working on the railway in 1995, he said: “The role of a Train Driver is unique and challenging, but it is rewarding.

“I have worked in many roles within the Driver function, from a Driver on Central Trains to a Driver Mentor and Depot Manager. I have been in my current role as Head of Drivers since August 2019.”

Kate Holden, HR Director for EMR said: “At EMR, we currently employ just over 600 drivers and to fulfil our fleet rollout, we need drivers to operate the trains across the network.

“One of our major challenges is encouraging a more diverse driving workforce. We’ve been working to increase the number of females applying for our driver roles, with open evenings aimed specifically at women, as well as tackling the unconscious bias through blind screening.

“We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and ages and we’d urge anybody interested in a career in any of these driver roles to check out our website.”

Closing date for applicants is Sunday, November 28 2021.

Lidl pay rises will make it UK’s highest-paying supermarket

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Lidl pay rises will make it UK’s highest-paying supermarket

Lidl is set to become the UK’s highest-paying supermarket when it issues pay rises to staff next March.

The discount supermarket chain has stores in Arnold, Mapperley Park and Netherfield.

It now plans to increase its minimum pay for employees to £10.10 an hour, with rates of up to £11.40 for more experienced workers.

The he increase recognised “the hard work and dedication of frontline colleagues during the last 18 months of the pandemic”.

Earlier this year, Morrisons became the first UK supermarket to pay at least £10 an hour.

In a statement it said: “Entry-level wages will increase from £9.50 to £10.10 an hour outside of London and £10.85 to £11.30 within the M25 from March 2022, with colleagues earning up to £11.40 and £12.25 respectively, depending on length of service,” Lidl said.

Lidl

Christian Härtnagel, chief executive officer at Lidl GB said: “At Lidl, our frontline colleagues are the backbone of our business. They have worked tirelessly over the past 18 months of the Covid-19 crisis and are integral to our future success.

“We have ambitious plans to grow our business across Great Britain, and to do that we need to ensure we attract and look after the best talent at every level of our business. 

“This year we feel incredibly lucky to be in a position as a business to go even further by making this significant investment in our incredible workforce, which will make us the best paying supermarket in the UK.” 

It comes after official figures on Tuesday suggested that employers are continuing to struggle to fill roles, affecting the hospitality and retail sectors in particular.

Job vacancies hit a fresh record high of 1.17 million in October – almost 400,000 higher than before the pandemic.

Police search Jubilee Park in Gedling for weapons as part of knife crime operation

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Police search Jubilee Park in Gedling for weapons as part of knife crime operation

Police have searched Jubilee Park in Gedling for weapons as part of a knife crime operation.

Officers carried out the weapon sweep at the open space on Burton Road in conjunction with Nottinghamshire Police’s Operation Sceptre.

They also searched the surrounding areas for concealed weapons and knives.

Officers were joined by neighbourhood wardens from Gedling Borough Council for the ‘sweep.

A police spokesman said: “We are pleased to report that no weapons or knives were recovered.

PICTURED: Knives handed in during the last police amnesty (IMAGE: Notts Police)

“As part of the week of action we are supporting the knife amnesty where a bin is located at Carlton Fire Station and officers will be carrying out increased high visibility patrols.

“We need people to keep giving us information about knife crime in their areas so we can help keep them safe. We all need to work together to combat knife crime and we’d urge anyone with information on knife crime in their local community to call us.”

Those with information can contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always dial 999.

Cranksy’s Christmas crochet creation spreads festive cheer in Netherfield

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Cranksy’s Christmas crochet creation spreads festive cheer in Netherfield

The latest work from mystery crochet creator ‘Cranksy’ has appeared on top of the post box in Netherfield and is guaranteed to spread festive cheer around the town.

The new postbox topper, located outside the post office on Victoria Road, features Santa and a snowman.

The new topper replaces the last creation featuring poppies to mark Remembrance week.

The post box toppers have been appearing over the past few years.

elf and grinch Nethefield post box
A knitted elf and Grinch are now sitting on top of the post box on Victoria Road (PHOTO: Neil Slack)

They tend to appear overnight, which prompted locals to call the mystery artist behind the creations ‘Cranksy’ due to the similar approach to stealth artist Banksy.

Last year their was sorrow in the town when Cranksy’s Christmas creation featuring The Grinch and an elf went missing.

It was eventually returned after being found at the site of the Costa drive-thru on nearby Victoria Retail Park.

Artist behind new village sign design invited to see work on display

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Artist behind new village sign design invited to see work on display

The artist behind the designs of new village signs in Calverton was last week invited to see her work on display.

Christine Hall is an artist from Southwell and provided artwork for the new signs welcoming people to the village.

The welcome signs have been designed to reflect the history of the village with reference to farming, William Lee’s Stocking Frame and recently the coal mining industry.

Calverton artist with village sign
PICTURED: Artist Christine Hall with the new signs welcoming people to Calverton

G & S Signs of Calverton made and put up the signs

Grant funding for the scheme was received from Nottinghamshire County Council and Calverton Parish Council with an additional donation of £1,000 from Persimmon Builder.

A parish council spokesman said: “The Parish Council would like to thank all those involved in achieving these new signs, in particular Cllr Joan Inger and County Councillor Boyd Elliot.

Covid cases: Infections fall across Gedling borough

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Covid cases: Infections fall across Gedling borough


Covid cases have fallen across Gedling borough, the latest figures reveal.

New numbers released last night cover cases reported on Sunday, November 14.

Gedling borough bucked the trend across Nottinghamshire with figures falling. All other areas of the county, apart from Rushcliffe, reported a large rise in cases.

The number of cases reported on Sunday across Gedling borough was 39 which was down from 69 reported the previous day.

Covid-testing
Cases were down in Gedling borough

645 cases were reported in total across Nottinghamshire.

Each areas reported the following numbers (previous day in brackets):

Ashfield 86 (54)

Bassetlaw 86  (45)

Broxtowe  82 (46)

Mansfield 73 (62)

Newark 82 (74)

Nottingham 144 (139)

Rushcliffe 53 (98)

Work to create new school at Rivendell off Colwick Loop Road ‘on track’ and will welcome first pupils next year

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Work to create new school at Rivendell off Colwick Loop Road ‘on track’ and will welcome first pupils next year

Work to build a new school at the Rivendell estate off Colwick Loop Road is ‘on track’ and will welcome its first pupils in September 2022.

Building work on the Rivendell Flying High Academy is taking shape with The Flying High Partnership, the multi-academy trust responsible for the school, working in partnership with builders, Persimmon Homes.

The school building is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2022, giving families and children who are successful in securing a place, an opportunity to visit ahead of their first term in September 2022.

Nick Layfield, operations manager at The Flying High Partnership said:“It has been great to see the development of the school taking shape and running to schedule. But to also to have the opportunity to shape the school environment and grounds to ensure they provide an inspirational and creative learning space for children.

“The school is being designed to make children’s experience and education the best it can possibly be, and we are delighted that it is shaping up to be a school filled with inspiration and possibility for its children, -and as a hub for the new community.”

“We want to be able to welcome the community, the families and children who will attend the school, in ahead of their first term to meet staff and to familiarise themselves with the new school. This will allow children to undertake their transmission and induction days in the new building.”

Whilst building work is underway, families will need to go online for information at: rivendellfha.co.uk and on Flying High Partnership Facebook and Twitter.

A series of events are being planned where parents can gather the information they need about the new school.

Mr Layfield added: “We would welcome contact from families wishing to join the school and look forward to the day we can welcome those families into the new school building.”

Rivendell Flying High Academy will fill to 210 pupils as the development grows and in the first year will welcome admission applications for all year groups from Foundation 2 to Year 6, as well as nursery places.

School places can be applied for via Nottinghamshire County Council admissions page at https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/education/school-admissions/apply-for-a-school-place and nursery places from Spring 2022 direct to the school.

New group formed to help enhance play park in Arnold

Gedling Eye
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New group formed to help enhance play park in Arnold

A new group has been formed to protect and improve a park in Arnold.

The Friends of Church Lane & St. Mary’s Play Park & Recreation Ground has been launched with the ambition of creating a new and improved children’s park and recreation ground.

Work to improve the site has already taken place after local councillor Michael Payne secured funding to improve access points to the recreation Ground, with new steps being put in place.

Steps St Mary's Recreation Ground Arnold
BEFORE AND AFTER: Steps have been created to improve access to St Mary’s Recreation Ground

The group will now campaign to try and secure improvements to the children’s play park and has been formed by local councillor Michael Payne.

Councillor Payne told Gedling Eye: “Working together we can make this and other local parks and green spaces great places for all.

“We are blessed to have such lovely green spaces in and around Arnold. I’ll always fight to improve and protect them.

“Please join our Friends Group and help me improve and transform our local children’s play park”

Those interested in getting involved can join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/923229978609542/

They can also e-mail Councillor Michael Payne on cllr.michael.payne@gedling.gov.uk using the email Subject ‘FRIENDS’

He added: “Together we will improve this popular children’s play park for local families to enjoy.”

Man arrested after ‘waving knife and making threats’ in Colwick

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Man arrested after ‘waving knife and making threats’ in Colwick

Police have arrested a man and recovered a weapon in Colwick as part of a crackdown on knife crime

Police were called to reports of a man waving a knife and making threats in Colwick Road. 

A 50-year-old suspect was swiftly detained on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and affray. 

No-one was hurt during the incident which happened shortly after 8.50pm yesterday (November 14). 

It comes as Nottinghamshire Police puts its weight behind the national Operation Sceptre knife crime campaign this week.  

Positive action taking place during the week will include weapons sweeps and patrols and educational sessions on knife crime for schoolchildren and awareness-raising workshops for young people.

notts police

Stop and search activity will also be carried out to help keep people safe and a metal-detecting knife arch will be used to help detect and remove blades from the streets.

The force’s dedicated knife crime and Operation Reacher teams and schools and early intervention officers will continue their hard work across the force area to prevent incidents and steer young people away from crime.

A knife amnesty is also being held across Nottinghamshire during Operation Sceptre, enabling people to leave their unwanted knives in amnesty bins.

Chief Inspector Clare Dean, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We remain committed to doing everything we can all year round to tackle this serious crime and protect people from knife crime.

“Our message to those who carry a knife, or who are thinking of carrying one, is that it does not protect you. It only increases your vulnerability, putting you in dangerous situations, not to mention the legal consequences of being found in possession of a knife. Knives destroy lives, affecting you, and those around you.    

“Every blade surrendered to us during Operation Sceptre is one less dangerous weapon that can be used to cause serious harm or injury – potentially resulting in someone’s life being lost.

“We all need to work together to combat knife crime and we’re urging anyone with information on knife crime in their local community to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always dial 999.”

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