A group of nature vigilantes are continuing with their fight to get one of our local waterways back from the grip of the aggressive Himalayan balsam.
Volunteers yesterday began to tackle the balsam problem on the Ouse dyke, which runs through the borough, at its source.
The balsam bashers targeted a section of the dyke which crosses Mapperley golf course. This site is a big reservoir for the balsam and the seeds from here are then transported downstream to produce next year’s plants.
WATCH OUT BALSAM, WE’RE COMING FOR YOU: (l to r) Chris Jackson, Cllr Nicki Brooks, Paul Sergent, Virginia Cooper, Jack Dennison and Richard Bissett).MENACE: Himalayan Balsam
He said: “Balsam is a huge problem on the Ouse dyke. It is an aggressive invasive species and crowds out our native plants and wildlife.
“The Gedling Conservation Trust, as part of the Waterside Care initiative, is determined to clear this pest species from the dyke to help restore it for the wildlife that should be seen there.
“We are pleased to be able to tackle the very source of the problem and would like to say a big thank you to the golf course staff who help facilitate the work and who understand its importance.”
The Trust are now on the lookout for more balsam bashers and also volunteers who want to get involved in their other conservation projects.
Mr Glover added: “We are always on the lookout for volunteers to help with this vital work as well as with other conservation projects at our nature reserve – the Netherfield Lagoons. People can find out more details on our Facebook page.”
The next balsam bash session will be back at the dyke tomorrow (Sunday 3) at 2.30 pm, meeting at the end of Teal Close where is crosses the dyke. All are welcome.
A large brewery group has pledged to do everything it can to find a new landlord for a popular pub in Gedling.
Shutters went up on The Phoenix in Shelford Road on Wednesday (May 30) but it appears that the pub has been closed for a few weeks.
A posting on their public Facebook page from May 23 read: “As most of you know The Phoenix is closed we don’t know what is happening to it. We’d would like to say thank you for the good times and the memories we will keep with us. Thank you all for your continued custom and all the best for the future we will miss you all”
PICTURED: The Phoenix before the shutters went up (PHOTO: Google)LAST ORDERS: The shutters go up on The Phoenix (PHOTO: Jo Burton/Facebook)
A spokesperson from Ei Publican Partnerships told Gedling Eye: “We can confirm that The Phoenix, Gedling is currently closed. We’d like to reassure the local community that we aim to reopen the pub as soon as possible.”
Do you have memories of The Phoenix? If so, let us know in the comments section below
A Carlton firm is planning to double its workforce after securing a number of key contracts.
A number of new business wins has led contact centre solutions company Mpl Contact to increase its workforce by more than a half.
MPL Contact, which is based at Carlton Business and Technology Centre on Station Road, offers outsourced, overflow and out of hours call handling.
The firm has already recruited for 50 new employees across a range of full-time and part-time roles, from contact centre agents to management positions, over the last three months and now has 140 staff working for the business.
The influx comes as Mpl Contact announces a record year, with a turnover of £4m.
CEO Paul Macildowie said: “We are happy to announce a record year in 2018, and are especially pleased that recent business wins and existing client growth allows us to continue to play an important role in the community as a local employer, particularly as our recruitment is mainly for permanent positions and therefore stable employment opportunities.
DELIGHTED: Chief executive, Paul Macildowie
“Our people are the key to our success and we look forward to another great year as Mpl Contact goes from strength to strength. There’s no doubt that continued growth will lead to us launching another recruitment drive later in the year.”
Nigel Blackburn has joined the company with over 18 years’ experience in the industry, taking on the role of operations manager. He said: “I’m really pleased to have joined Mpl Contact at this exciting time of growth in the business. I have experience managing contact centres with up to 300 seats and have worked with a number of high profile businesses including Prudential, Churchill Insurance, RBS and more recently Pendragon Plc.
“The opportunity to be right at the start of this planned period of sustained growth was a major factor in attracting me to the business. In the few weeks that I’ve been here it’s easy to see the fast-paced nature of the business, the great staff in place already and the culture of empowerment to make things happen.”
Mpl Contact, which has been providing outsourced contact centre services since 1994, was bought by Paul Macildowie and Peter Newbold in June 2013.
The firm has recently won three new contracts to provide its services to multi-channel retail business Scotts and Co, consultancy and business services provider Interserve and commercial laundry, catering and heating equipment supplier JLA.
Police investigating an assault in Gunthorpe are making a fresh appeal for witnesses.
Officers are continuing to investigating an assault in Lowdham Road on Saturday, May 12 at around 11pm.
During the incident a 44-year-old man suffered a serious facial injury following the altercation with two other people.
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “It started inside a moving vehicle which pulled up on Lowdham Road, where the group got out and continued fighting.
“It’s believed a passer-by stopped and tried to intervene and there would have been other motorists who drove past and may have seen what happened.”
If you have any information, please call police on 101 quoting incident 988 of 12 May. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Energy customers in Gedling borough are being urged to switch suppliers to avoid overpaying on their bills by hundreds of pounds, as price hikes come into force from this week.
New analysis from Which? magazine has found that nine million Big Six energy customers could beat what critics have dubbed as ‘price hike fortnight’ and some could save over four hundred pounds by switching to a better value deal.
Four of the Big Six energy firms will be hiking their energy prices on their standard variable tariffs, if they haven’t already, in the next few weeks. SSE will also be getting in on the action by increasing its standard tariffs in July.
SSE customers will see the biggest price increase, as British households on its standard tariff can expect their gas and electricity bills to cost an average £76 more per year.
The firm announced a 6.7% price rise this week, to come into force on 11 July, meaning customers will pay £1,196 per year on average.
Overall, Npower customers will still be paying the most, as its price increase of £64 – 5.5% – will mean customers on its standard tariff will pay £1,230 per year on average from 17 June.
According to Which?, Npower customers on its standard tariff could save up to £434 by switching to the cheapest deal on the market- Utility Point’s variable tariff at £797 per year- or £268 by switching to Npower’s own cheapest tariff.
British Gas’ price hike came into effect on May 29, with four million of its dual-fuel standard tariff customers seeing their bill rise from £1,101 to £1,161 on average per year.
This is an increase of 5.5% or £60 a year – £364 more than the cheapest deal on the market. This makes British Gas’ standard tariff the fourth most expensive of the Big Six firms after NPower, Scottish Power and SSE, once all price rises have come into effect.
Households who are keen to stay loyal to British Gas could still save £113 if they ask it for the best deal available.
As of the 1 June, Scottish Power customers on its standard tariff will see their bills increase by an average of £63 a year, an increase of 5.5% bringing its standard tariff to £1,211 on average per year.
Affecting more than one million households, this increase will make its standard tariff cost £414 more than the cheapest deal on the market and £100 more than Scottish Power’s own cheapest tariff.
Over a million EDF customers will also be subject to a price increase – with this one coming into effect on the 7 June.
Customers on the firm’s standard tariff will see their electricity bills increase by 1.4%, or £16 a year, taking this SVT to a total of £1,158 for the average user. This takes EDF’s dual fuel standard tariff to £361 more than the cheapest deal on the market and £167 more than EDF’s own cheapest available deal.
Eon has not announced a price increase. However, it back in March it said that it was cutting dual-fuel and paperless discounts from its bills and increasing its standing charge for some customers. This will mean some customers pay £30 more a year – leading to an average annual bill of £1,153.
Many of the energy companies have blamed rising policy, network and wholesale energy costs for their price increases.
Alex Neill, Which? Managing Director of Home Products and Services, said: “Energy customers tired of being slapped with eye-watering energy bills can take the power back into their own hands and radically change how much they pay, simply by choosing a better deal.
“Before the energy price cap comes into effect later this year, anyone still suffering on a poor value standard tariff should take five minutes to compare and switch as they could potentially save up to £434 a year.”
Developers have submitted their latest plans for a new medical facility in Netherfield to Gedling Borough Council.
The new surgery, which would be based on Ashwell Street, would see ‘ the construction of a new medical centre and pharmacy, including associated car and cycle parking facilities, sub-station and landscaping.
Assura, has been chosen as the developer who will construct the new surgery.
Senior development manager, Andrew Cooper, said: “With more patients using this surgery and with significant new housing growth expected to continue, the GPs need a building which can offer them flexibility and more space for the future – especially given the NHS’ strong focus on delivering a bigger range of services closer to home.”
Subject to planning permission, it is hoped the new medical centre would be completed by the end of 2019.
A tough action plan has been agreed between police, Gedling Borough Council and Vernon Coaker MP to tackle knife crime in Arnold after three stabbings in just two days.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, John Clarke; deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, Micheal Payne and MP for Gedling, Vernon Coaker met with the Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Police and senior police officers to discuss and agree how to respond to genuine concerns of local residents following the recent incidents.
An action plan was agreed at the meeting and plans include:
Accelerating the establishment of a police base at the Council offices in Arnold
Gedling Borough Council will invest in additional CCTV and improved lighting in and around the Arnold area
Gedling Borough Council to invest in increased Neighbourhood Warden presence across the borough.
Neighbourhood Wardens will be granted extra powers to approach people on the streets, they will also have access to police radios and police briefings.
Gedling Borough Council has committed to work with Nottinghamshire Police and help fund work in schools across Gedling to educate young people about knife crime.
The local neighbourhood policing team and Gedling Borough Council are also carrying out youth engagement work across the borough – this work will be expanded and strengthened.
The Council has now applied for funding from the recently announced Home Office community Fund to help tackle knife crime locally.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said the meeting had been very productive.
He said: “I’d like to thank the Chief Constable and his fellow police officers for attending today.
“Today’s meeting has set out some clear actions that should reassure residents that we are all doing everything we can to make our streets safer.
“We work closely with Nottingham Police and the actions agreed today will further strengthen this relationship.”
Mr Coaker has now called on The Government to ensure the area receives a fair share of this fund.
He said: “There is an urgent need for the Prime Minister and her Government to wake up to problems facing communities across the country. Government cuts to our police force have gone too far and done damage.
“I will be writing to the Home Secretary demanding additional funding for our police to focus on crime hot spot areas and more police on our streets.
“I will also be writing to the Justice Secretary demanding the courts hand out tougher sentences to anyone caught in possession of a knife. We understand from our police colleagues that all too often the courts are giving frequent chances to those caught in possession of a knife. This is simply not acceptable. The Government must introduce tougher sentences for knife crime and the courts must use them.
He added: “Arnold is a great place to live and work and our message is clear – we will not allow a small minority to spoil things for the law abiding majority.”
Nottinghamshire Police has already charged two individuals for the recent incidents – they will now be brought before the courts.
Additional officers have also increased patrols in recent days and there will be additional police officers in and around Arnold going forward.
A four-month old puppy has become the latest recruit to join Nottinghamshire Police’s paw partol, based in Arnold.
Taggart, pictured, is the newest edition to Nottinghamshire Police’s Dog Section, which is based at Sherwood Lodge.
He’s a four-month-old Belgian Malinois and joined police from a litter of 13 from West Yorkshire.
Yesterday his handler introduced him to ‘tracking’ where he managed to sniff out his food that was hidden around a training field.
Taggart will be a general purpose police dog and tracking with be a crucial part of his job, so that’s why he’s taught to use his nose first.
Taggart’s handler, PC Pete Baxter who has been a dog handler for 15 years, said: “In about 1 years’ time Taggart will be getting ready to start a training course. In the meantime he will be living with me whilst I train him and build his confidence. He’s shown great potential so far and I’m looking forward to seeing how much he develops.”
A man from Mansfield has appeared in court in connection with a report of a stabbing in Allen’s Walk, Arnold.
Jack Scott, 20, of Lindley Street, Mansfield, appeared before magistrates in Nottingham charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place.
A 29-year-old man was taken to hospital with injuries, not believed to be life-threatening, after the incident just after 3pm on Saturday (May 26).
A dad of two from Woodthorpe who cycles to work just once a week is gearing up to peddle 50 miles around Nottinghamshire next month to raise money for charity in memory of his grandad.
Dean Grimshaw – who works as a school business manager – is currently training ahead of the Cycle Live bike ride on June 24, when he hopes to raise £500 in aid of Nottinghamshire Hospice.
Staff from the hospice, in Woodborough Road, cared for Dean’s grandad, Frank Carroll, when he was dying from cancer five years ago.
Dean says not only did they give vital support to his grandma and his family, they also allowed them much-needed respite by looking after 90-year-old Frank in his final days and enabling him to die at home.
The memory of their care has stayed with Dean and so when he decided that he wanted to take on a challenge for charity this year, he opted to raise money for the hospice.
The Cycle Live event offers riders the choice of five different routes of varying lengths and Dean has chosen the 50-mile Friar Tuck route, which runs from West Bridgford to Redmile and back.
He is currently building up the mileage as part of his training and is enjoying the opportunity to use road-bike, which he bought two years ago and wants to get more use out of.
He said: “Most people who know me know that I’m not exactly Mr Exercise, but every two years I look to do something that stretches me and raises money for a fantastic local charity.
“Nottinghamshire Hospice is a charity that’s close to my heart because they supported my grandma through the hard times of watching someone she loved pass away in front of her, whilst ensuring dignity for my grandad and allowing him to stay at home throughout.
“It will be a real challenge for me. I cycle to and from work once a week and when I get there I’m exhausted, so although I’m slowing building up my miles, completing 50 miles is going to be a huge achievement.”
Nottinghamshire Hospice is hoping that more people follow in Dean’s tyre tracks by using their participation in Cycle Live to help it raise the £2.7m it needs every year to keep operating.
Funded purely by donations, the hospice is looking to raise £50,000 by hosting a series of charity challenges this year, including running events, skydives and treks up Kilimanjaro and along the Great Wall of China.
Elaine Hopkins, community fundraiser at Nottinghamshire Hospice, said: “We’re so grateful to Dean for offering to raise money for us and taking on what promises to be a gruelling challenge next month.
“We wish him all the very best with his training and his bike ride. Without the generosity of people like Dean we could not carry out our work, so we hope that his gesture will inspire more people to take part in the event on our behalf as well.”
To find out more about how you can help the hospice through its charity challengers events contact the fundraising team on 0115 910 1008 or email fundraising@nottshospice.org
