The Force issued the plea after revelling that one recent caller asked for technical support for his wi-fi service.
The caller told the police staff at the control room that ‘their dad had changed the wi-fi password and wanted police to help change it back’.
Nottinghamshire Police say their busy Control Room handles thousands of 999 emergency calls each month and while the majority of emergency calls are made to request police support in genuine emergencies, 999 call handlers still receive a number of spurious and misplaced calls which delay them from dealing with the most urgent calls.
People are being urged to only call 999 in a genuine emergency
Superintendent Paul Burrows, from Nottinghamshire Police’s Contact Management department, said: “The vast majority of the public understand that 999 is only for emergency calls but, despite the work we regularly do in the media, online and over-the-phone to explain to people how to use 999 responsibly, we do still receive a high number of misplaced calls to our emergency number.
“While some of the misplaced calls we receive range from honest errors of judgement to the more unusual, there is a serious point to be made here as every misplaced call our emergency call handlers receive has the potential to delay us from responding to genuine emergencies.
“All we’re asking is that people only call 999 in genuine emergencies and remember that there are other ways to contact us for less urgent enquiries, with the Nottinghamshire Police website – www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/advice – offering advice on hundreds of policing and non-policing issues and the 101 non-emergency number also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
Police advice for using 999 responsibly
Please think before dialling and only call 999 when life is in danger, someone is seriously injured, someone is using or threatening to use violence, a crime is in progress, there is serious damage being caused to property or whenever else an immediate police response is required.
For all other non-emergency policing matters, please call 101 or visit the Nottinghamshire Police website – www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/advice – for advice on how to deal with hundreds of policing and non-policing matters.
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police added: “By not calling 999 when it’s anything less than an emergency, you can help to ensure Nottinghamshire Police’s team of emergency call handlers can be on-hand for when people really do need them.”
Each week Gedling Eye opens its archives for a nostalgic look back at the stories making the news this time last year.
This week we remind ourselves of the events that took place between October 1 and 5, 2018…
Plant haul
PICTURED: The cannabis plants discovered at a property in Gedling (IMAGE: Notts Police)
Police managed to uncover over 1,000 cannabis plants with an estimated street value of up to £1.1 million inside a house in Gedling.
Officers were called to an address in St Michael’s Avenue
at around 1pm on October 2 following reports of suspicious activity.
They found the kitchen door wide open at the property and also two Asian men
inside, who offered few details before making off on foot.
Following a search of the house, over 1,100 cannabis plants covering three
bedrooms were found.
Police said at the time that had the plants been given the opportunity to
reach maturity, they would have had an estimated street value of up to £1.1
million.
Super Council say
PICTURED: Cllr Kay Cutts
People in Gedling borough were given the chance to have their say on plans to create a ‘super council’ across Nottinghamshire.
An informal consultation was launched back on October 3 by Nottinghamshire
County Council, who wanted residents, businesses and councils to share their
views on possible plans for the local government in Nottinghamshire.
The council said it wasn’t a formal consultation, but they were seeking the
views of local people “as they will help to shape any potential future
plans for restructuring in the future.”
Councillors were planning to consider responses to this first phase of
public engagement alongside a raft of other evidence at a Full Council meeting
on December 13, 2018 when they will decide whether or not to pursue plans for a
unitary council — which the Council would then formally consult the public on
next year.
D-DAY visit
PICTURED: Ray Mellors pays tribute to the fallen during his visit to Normandy where he was involved in the D-Day landings
D-DAY veteran Ray Mellors was given a hero’s
welcome when he paid an emotional return visit to the beaches of Normandy for
the first time in 74 years.
Ray, 93, a patient at Nottinghamshire
Hospice in Mapperley,
had not been back to France since he fought in the allied invasion of Western
Europe back in 1944.
In October 2018, he took part in a week-long
remembrance tour organised by the travel arm of the Royal British Legion,
during which he placed a wreath at the spot where he lost a close comrade.
Ray, with others from the South Staffordshire
Regiment, landed on Sword beach in 1944 shortly after D-Day and were heavily involved
in the liberation of Caen before moving further into France and on to Belgium.
He later joined Blackwatch regiment and took part in the Rhine crossing.
Ray said: “Looking at the beaches when the tide was out you realise how much
beach we had to cross before we got onto the sand banks. It’s no wonder so many
people were killed. I had tears in my eyes, especially when I placed the
wreath. It really tugged at the heart strings.”
Former students of all ages were invited to attend a gathering at Carlton le Willows Academy for the launch of a society aimed at celebrating 60 years of education on the Gedling site.
The Salix Society wanted to bring together former students of the Gedling
school, from its creation as a grammar school in 1953 – to its current position
as one of the best performing schools in the county.
Just the ticket
PICTURED: CT4N Managing Director Ian Combellack, left, with Sherwood MP Mark Spencer, launching the new services.
A new bus service was launched for borough villagers so they could shop in town centres and larger supermarkets.
Services would now run from Lowdham, Calverton, Woodborough and Lambley to
Arnold town centre on Mondays and Morrisons at Netherfield on Wednesdays and
Fridays.
There would also be a bus running from Bestwood Village to Bulwell and
Morrisons.
Local bus operator CT4N, which is part of Nottingham Community Transport, said
it was launching the new services now that routes connecting local communities
and villages with town centres and supermarkets had been lost.
Sherwood MP, Mark Spencer attended the launch of the new service
at Calverton on Monday, October 1, 2018.
He said at the launch: “I am delighted that CT4N are offering these new
services that not only cover Calverton but connects to many local villages then
onto both Arnold and Netherfield.
“This service will be a huge benefit to many of my constituents and I
am grateful to CT4N for taking on these new routes.”
It was back in 1791 that a worsted mill was constructed on the site of Arnot Hill Park to produce a high-quality type of wool yarn.
The mill was built by Robert Davison and John Hawksaley and they appointed two managers to run the concern: they were William Huddlestone and George Wall . As well as expertise in the manufacturing field, the two managers also brought both brought Methodism to Arnold.
William Huddlestone came to Arnold early in 1798.
He had started life as a flax dresser in Oxton and had become a widower in his mid-20s when his first wife died. In 1769, he married again this time to a fellow widow, just four years his junior, called Elizabeth Frignall. This was while he was still living and working in Oxton.
The Huddlestons moved to Arnold when William was 58 bringing their 10 children with them. This was so he could become one of the managers of the Arnold Mill. William was well liked and a popular family man who was always considered “a pattern of conjugal and paternal affection to them all”.
Although he started out in the Church of England and was in fact married in St Peters in Oxton, William had become a Methodist. His appointment was therefore unusual at the time as Methodists were considered radicals and rebels as they did not follow the teachings of the established mainstream Church of England.
The owners of the mill, Hawksley and Davison, were also considered to be religious radicals. Hawksley was a member of St Nicholas Church in Nottingham and although it was Church of England, it was a forward thinking church for its time. Davison was a member of Friar Lane Chapel – a Protestant church which dissented from the established Church of England. Both these radical churches contained between them a large number of the great and good of Nottingham.
When joining forces in the mill project, Hawksley and Davison decided they wanted like minded people to take charge of the mill.
The only church in Arnold at the time was St Mary’s at the other end of the town and was a very strong traditionalist church at the time.
PICTURED: The Meadow Chapel on Nottingham Road, pictured back in the 1960s when it was used by the council for storage.
Huddlestone, Wall and the two partners of the Mill therefore decided to build a chapel on Nottingham Road near the mill. This was primarily for their workforce and was then known as the Meadow Chapel. It became the first Methodist church in the town.
Huddlestone was a man of considerable force of character and became an active Methodist local preacher and spoke with great warmth, affection and energy. He was elegant, lively and prophetic.
Huddlestone was strongly urged to become a Church of England clergyman and was offered advancement if he did so, but he declined. He was also offered a place in the Methodist ministry which he also declined, preferring to support the church as a local preacher. He became a driving force in the church and a member of Methodist New Connection which was a breakaway group from the early Methodist church. They eventually opened 18 churches in the area.
He
preached regularly at the Meadows Chapel as well as the churches in Chilwell,
Woodborough, Mansfield, Carlton, Basford, Radford and as far away as Donington.
He continued this preaching to the end. He
died in 1816 at the age of 76.
George Wall, like William Huddleston, was a Methodist local preacher in the New Connection Methodist church as well as a manager of the Arnold mill . He was apparently very well educated and was appointed at the very young age of 22.
Unlike Huddlestone, his fellow manager, when offered the chance to become a Methodist minister he took it with great enthusiasm.
He received a letter on the 12 October 1797 from the founder of the Methodist New Connection church Alexander Kilham. This letter was concerned with the appointment of George Wall to be the assistant of Mr. Gurndill, a minister in Staffordshire.
In his letter, Kilham urges haste in his decision as Wall was needed in Ireland. Wall is urged ‘to serve us and the cause of Jesus Christ’, but remembering that ‘God will direct’.
He took up the post soon afterwards and left the mill to join this new ministerial post at the age of 24. He continued to serve the church
as a minister with great distinction for over 50yrs.
In 1817, a new church was built in Nottingham city centre for the New Connection Methodists called the Parliament Street Chapel.
The opening services of this building which took place on 4 and 6 April 1817, were conducted by four ministers. One of these was the Rev. George Wall who was at the time now stationed in Bolton. He was invited to take part in the ceremonies as he had entered the ministry from Arnold and was well known and liked in the area.
George Wall was to go on to be elected to the senior post in the Methodist New Connection church of President three times.
He died in March 1852 at the age of 77 while resident minister at Lightcliffe a village in West Yorkshire which is situated approximately three miles east of Halifax .
The influence of these two men on the local churches in the Arnold and Nottingham area and also throughout the Midlands, and the non-conformist churches in particular, was considerable.
They, together with Hawksley and Davison, must have had a profound effect on the workforce. It was all taking place at a time of radical political and social reform. It may well have persuaded others that they – the working man – had a voice and would see them participating in events in the town, especially the Luddites protests which began in Arnold in the early 1800s.
This story was taken from Bob Massey’s new book ‘The People and the Park’ which celebrates 100 years of Arnot Hill Park. The paperback is available for £5.95 at Floralands in Mapperley, MSR Newsagents in Arnold, Five Leaves Bookshop in Nottingham and The Bookcase in Lowdham
A parish council is calling on volunteers to help them with the upkeep of a Reed Pond Nature Reserve, which they are hoping to save from developers in Lambley.
The Reed Pond Nature Reserve is currently run by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, who had intended to sell it off due to ‘lack of funds to maintain it going forward’.
There were fears the popular site could be sold to developers and used as land for housing, but Lambley Parish Council told Gedling Eye they have agreed a price to safeguard the nature reserve.
PICTURED: Reeds Pond Nature Reserve (PICTURE: David Hallam-Jones)
Lambley Parish Council chairman Lawrence Milbourn said: “The Parish Council has met with the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and has agreed a price to purchase the land to ensure that it is safeguarded as a natural habitat for use by the village and the wider community. We are currently in the process of applying for grant funding to facilitate the purchase.
“Once the Parish Council own the land, we will be looking for volunteers to help with its upkeep and we have already had a wonderful response from the community in this regard with people over social media and at local events expressing a willingness to help.”
Sherwood MP Mark Spencer is one of the high-profile people who has been lobbying to keep the site as a nature reserve.
Back in May he told Gedling Eye: “I am reassured that Reed Pond in particular is not for development and that NWT are assuring me that they want the site to stay in use for public enjoyment.”
Gedling Eye has approached Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust for a comment.
A beer being brewed in honour of a pioneering woman credited with writing the first computer programme is launching next week in Newstead – once home to her famous poet father Lord Byron.
The new beer is being named after Ada Lovelace and is set to be given its first tasting on Ada Lovelace Day, which takes place on Tuesday (October 8), at The Pit Micropub in Newstead Village, which is within 100 yards of the Newstead Abbey gatehouse – which was her ancestral home.
The Pit’s Landlady, Lorraine Horrocks, is delighted to host the occasion.
PICTURED: The Pit Micropub landlady Lorraine Horrocks with the new beer, which is officially launched on Tuesday
She said: “We get many visitors stopping off on their way to the Abbey. They come from South Africa, the USA and all over Europe with many as interested in the daughter as they are the father. In fact, she is becoming ever more prominent in our regular spoken word nights. Ada means a lot to us and our community of Newstead,”
Available
from October to Christmas, the mathematician’s namesake beer ‘Ada Lovelace’
will be a 4.2 per cent ABV porter and becomes the fourth in the 2019
Nottinghamian series that has included ‘Vicki McClure’ and ‘Viv Anderson’.
PICTURED: The pump label for the new Ava Lovelace beer being brewed by Castle Rock
Ada was
Lord Byron’s only legitimate child. She was born in 1815 while Byron was
making one of many attempts to sell Newstead Abbey, his Nottinghamshire
property. It is thought she only set foot in the place once. That
was in 1850, when she visited as a guest of owner Thomas Wildman, and left
feeing low and miserable. “It ought to belong to me,” she said
of her determination to return. It was not to be; she died in 1852 having
never been back.
Castle Rock
Brewery’s celebration beers honour the achievements and memories of the
native-born and adopted daughters and sons of Nottinghamshire. Lewis
Townsend, who manages the four-a-year series admits Ada’s is a tenuous
“but nonetheless important” choice. “She loved Newstead, as do all of
us, and we feel it’s right to recognise that,” he says.
The ‘Ada
Lovelace’ beer will be available at selected pubs across the East Midlands and
Yorkshire in the last three months of 2019.
The cars patrol outside schools to monitor vehicles parked on ‘School Keep Clear’ markings which are in place to ensure the safety of children getting to and from school. Those using the restricted space for parking could face a £70 Penalty Charge Notice.
Councillor John Cottee, chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Communities and Place Committee, said: “Road safety for pupils outside schools remains a high priority for us as local residents and schools continue to express concerns about dangerous parking.
“Pupils attending school should be able to feel safe in their surroundings, and it is the responsibility of parents and other motorists to not only consider the safety of their own children, but also that of other pupils and parents.
“We are delighted that a third CCTV car will now patrol outside Nottinghamshire schools as a deterrent for those who continue to avoid putting safety at the heart of their journey.”
The car will add to the current fleet of two after Nottinghamshire County Councils approved the addition at the council’s Policy committee in April.
Councillor Philip Owen, chairman of the Children and Young People’s committee, said: “Parking on keep clear markings outside schools is an ongoing issue across Nottinghamshire, and coupled with the rise in pupil numbers across the last five years, it is important that we continue to address this.
“Areas around schools can become congested at busy drop off and pick up times, and where vehicles are parked illegally, they are failing to respect the clear measures we have in place to maximise the safety of their children.
“Parents have a responsibility to set an example for their children, and we hope that the addition of a third CCTV car will further highlight the dangers that young people are facing outside their schools every day.” Alison Brown, Head Teacher at Priory Junior School in Gedling, said: “My top priority is the safety of our children, and so we welcome the new car, as it could help to prevent accidents.
“We also hope the car will support residents around the school by encouraging considerate parking.”
There are plenty of pooches needing new homes in Gedling borough – and ‘designer dogs’ in particular, as the numbers being rescued increases.
The plea for new homes in the borough for rescued dogs comes as the RSPCA launch their Adoptober campaign.
As part of their campaign, the charity revealed new statistics about breeds being rescued. They revealed 163 dogs in Nottinghamshire were rehomed last year and, while Staffies are still the most rescued breed, designer dogs are appearing more and more in the charity’s rehoming centres.
New national figures have been also been released showing that while pure-breed and crossbreed Staffies, lurchers, Jack Russell terriers and German shepherds are still the most common dog to come into its care, more trendy ‘handbag’ breeds and fashionable crossbreeds are also ending up in the charity’s 17 national animal centres.
The number of chihuahuas coming into the RSPCA’s care has gone up by 700% in the last seven years (14 in 2012 to 112 in 2018), while the number of French bulldogs is up 236%, Dachshunds are up 600% and Pomeranians are up 440%.
Last year, the RSPCA rescued 192 dogs from abuse and neglect in Nottinghamshire and received 10,848 calls to its 24-hour cruelty hotline about animals in the county.
RSPCA dog welfare expert Lisa Hens said: “Although Staffies, lurchers, Jack Russell terriers and German shepherds are still the most common dogs coming into our centres, we are seeing a general decrease in their numbers while seeing an increase in the number of fashionable crossbreeds and so-called designer dogs like Dachshunds and French bulldogs arriving in our care.
“We know that the animals coming into our care tend to reflect general dog ownership trends and there’s been a huge surge in recent years in people buying ‘designer dogs’ and crossbreeds such as cavachons, puggles and cockerpoos.
“As part of our rehoming drive this October – called Adoptober – we want to shine a light on all of the dogs in our care and encourage people to adopt a rescue dog instead of buying a puppy. All the animals in our care have a lot of love to give and we have a huge variety of dogs in our kennels waiting for homes, of all ages, shapes, sizes and breeds.”
Take a look at these adorable dogs at RSPCA homes in Nottinghamshire and see if you could give one of them a loving forever home.
Hazel
Age:
5
Breed:
Greyhound
Where:
Radcliffe Animal Centre in Nottingham
A bit about her: Hazel is a gorgeous and placid girl who will make a great companion. She came to the centre in August after the previous owner had a change in circumstances and could not afford to keep her.
Why she’s special: She loves company and enjoys her walks although she can be a bit stubborn at times so it is recommended she is kept on a lead. She may need some house training and takes joint supplements as she gets stiff which is typical of her breed and age. She will make a fantastic loyal friend and is a real treasure.
Ideal home: Hazel can live with other dogs but not cats and is better suited to living with children of a primary school age and upwards.
More information: To find out more about Hazel please visit her page on Find A Pet.
Lola
Age:
1
Breed:
Patterdale terrier cross
Where:
Radcliffe Animal Centre in Nottingham
A bit about her: Lola is a lovely girl with lots of energy! She can be a little nervous of new people and will need time to allow her to settle.
Why she’s special: She loves attention and cuddles!
Ideal home: Lola could potentially live with cats and other dogs and is better suited living with children of secondary school age.
More information: To find out more about Lola please visit her page on Find A Pet
Patch
Age:
Six months
Breed: Jack Russell terrier
Where: Radcliffe Animal Centre in Nottingham
A
bit about her: Patch has a lot of energy and needs an
active family! He needs a bit of further training but with time and patience he will make a super companion.
Why she’s special: Patch is a lively, bouncy boy
Ideal home: Patch could potentially live with cats and other dogs and is better suited living with children of primary school age.
More information: To find out more about Patch please visit her page on Find A Pet.
To offer an RSPCA rescue dog a new home please visit www.rspca.org.uk/findapet to find your paw-fect match.
Communities across Gedling borough that are finding it difficult to access cash can now request a free-to-use ATM for their area as part of a new scheme.
Link, which runs the UK’s largest network of ATM machines, has put aside £1m to fund the new scheme which will pay for ATMs in ‘cash deserts’. The money will pay for around 40-50 new machines across the UK.
Link have said applications will be weighed up on a case-by-case basis, depending on factors such as distance to the nearest free ATM, the availability of a nearby Post Office and machine site security. They also would look at whether a machine is available within a mile and any geographic challenges reaching it – like a steep hill. Where the application is successful, Link will fund the new ATM.
Some bus passengers in Gedling borough will no longer have to hunt for the cash before making their journey as trentbarton confirm that contactless payment will now be accepted on all services.
trentbarton is to roll out a tap-on tap-off contactless payment on all its services from Sunday October 6.
When getting on a bus customers will
tap-on the new contactless ticket machines and tap-off as they leave at their
stop. The new machines will do the calculations and their debit or credit card
will always be charged the right fare.
If customers make several trips, or use
more than one trentbarton route, their fares will automatically be capped each
day.
Visa, Mastercard and Maestro credit and
debit cards with the contactless logo can be used, including most contactless
cards issued overseas, but not Amex. Payment can also be made using a smart
device via Apple Pay or Android Pay.
trentbarton managing director Jeff Counsell said: “This innovation is about giving our customers even more convenience and choice. They can choose to continue using their MANGO cards or continue paying with cash. But contactless is on the rise.
“In the Midlands more than seven out of ten people
are already paying for everyday goods and services using contactless.
Nationally, one is six young people are living largely cashless lives. The time
is absolutely right for contactless bus travel.
“Our new system has a huge advantage for customers,
because it automatically charges the lowest possible fare given where customers
get on and the stop they get off at. This beats the flat charge levied by other
operators.”
“With daily caps, our customers can be confident
they’re getting the best possible value for money every time they tap on and tap
off a trentbarton service.”
Customers will be able to see their contactless
journey history, trip charges and how close they are to their caps through the trentbarton
website.
An old railway tunnel in Arnold has been brought back to life by talented artists who have used it to create a new mural showing an illustrated history of the town.
The tunnel, which is located behind Arnot Hill Park, on what was once a railway track, has been given a new design as part of celebrations of the 100 year anniversary of Arnot Hill Park.
The mural, which completely covers the tunnel, was created by participants of the City Arts Express Yourself project, which supports young people’s emotional health and wellbeing and resilience through creative activities. Members of the public also took part in painting the mural as part of the parks centenary celebration event in July.
The design takes inspiration from local history, wildlife and iconic features of Arnot Hill Park, including paintings of brass bands, picnics, lawn bowls, birds, ducks and more.
It took 12 weeks, 11 volunteers and around 100 members of the public to complete the design.
PICTURED: Artwork on the revamped tunnel created by artists from City Arts Express Yourself project (IMAGES: GBC)
The new mural was officially unveiled yesterday by the Mayor of Gedling, Councillor Sandra Barnes. Also in attendance will be participants from the City Arts Express Yourself project and artist Amy Nicholson who worked on the project.
Portfolio Holder for Environment at Gedling Borough Council, Councillor Peter Barnes said: “What a transformation! The new mural looks fantastic. The artists have managed to really capture the history of the park and showcase it in this design. I’d like to thank everyone involved, City Arts, who have ran a brilliant project as usual, and all the volunteers and members of the public who helped produce the finished design.
PICTURED: The tunnel before the new artwork was created (IMAGE:GBC)
Alma Solarte-Tobon, creative producer at City Arts, said he was incredibly proud of the work that had been produced by the volunteers.
He said: “The work our young participants have done creating this mural for Arnot Hill Park is incredible. Thanks to Gedling Borough Council and Nottinghamshire County Council for supporting the project, and artist Amy Nicholson for her help making the young people’s designs a reality. We hope the people of Gedling will enjoy it for many years to come.”
Vice-Chairman of the Communities and Place Committee, at Nottinghamshire County Council, Councillor John Handley said: “This impressive mural is a great addition to the park which I’m sure will be enjoyed by residents and visitors.
“It’s is a great example of how the Local Improvement Scheme is helping give young people a chance to hone their creative skills and benefit the local community. Projects like these can also help increase young people’s confidence and emotional wellbeing.”
