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Smoking law changes come into force across borough this Sunday

Gedling Eye
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Smoking law changes come into force across borough this Sunday

Health officials are hoping the introduction of standardised tobacco packaging will help reduce the number of children in the borough taking up smoking.

From this Sunday (21), Cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco will no longer be sold in packets with the familiar colours and branding smokers instantly recognise.

Instead, they will appear in standard packaging with the same green-brown colour, and containing graphic pictures and health warnings on the side. The only way to differentiate between brands will be the product name but this will also be uniform – appearing in the same font and size.

The new regulations came into force in May 2016 and gave tobacco companies a year to make sure that all packets on sale in the UK complied with the changes.

It is hoped that the move will help to reduce the numbers of under-18s taking up smoking.

Alison Challenger, director of Public Health at Nottingham City Council, said: “We fully support these proposals and hope that they will complement the work we have been doing for many years to reduce the harm caused by smoking.

“A large part of our tobacco strategy in Nottingham focuses on a vision to create a smoke-free generation and, specifically, to take smoking out of the sight of children.

“Standardised packaging has been shown to be very effective in Australia, where it was introduced in 2012. Rates of smoking among under-18s have fallen away further since, and that is so important in terms of breaking generational cycles of tobacco use. An additional benefit was that many long-term smokers started to question their habit and were motivated to quit.

“We have great support networks in place in Nottingham through stop-smoking services like New Leaf which can help people to quit, but it’s just as important to try to stop them taking up the habit in the first place. Standardised packaging can help us to achieve that.”

Other changes due to be introduced this weekend include:

  • Cigarettes will no longer be sold in packs of 10 – the minimum will be 20
  • Roll-up tobacco will be sold in minimum pack sizes of 30g
  • The cheapest pack of cigarettes will cost £8.82
  • Menthol cigarettes will begin to be phased out over the next three years
  • Some flavoured cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco, including fruit, spice, herbs, alcohol, candy and vanilla, will be made illegal

Bio-gas buses to be introduced in borough this summer

Gedling Eye
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Bio-gas buses to be introduced in borough this summer

A new fleet of bio-gas buses are to be introduced on routes around the borough this summer.

The new buses will begin operating on Nottingham City Transport’s 24, 25 and 44 routes which cover Arnold, Carlton, Gedling Mapperley and Netherfield.

The buses – said to be the greenest on the road- are powered by bio gas, which is produced naturally through anaerobic digestion, using food waste, farm waste and sewage.  The methane emitted from the digestion process is captured, treated and turned into fuel. When this fuel is used, emissions are 84% lower than their diesel counterparts.

The innovative move to bio-gas vehicles began last July when Nottingham City Transport (NCT), working in partnership with Nottingham City Council, successfully bid to receive £4.4m in funding from the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).

Since that time, and adding its own investment of a further £12.4m, the bus operator has worked closely with manufacturers Scania and Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL), together with local companies Roadgas and ZF Transmissions, to create bio-gas infrastructure at their Parliament Street Garage and state-of-the-art buses.

NCT Engineering Director, Gary Mason said they were hugely proud of their new bio-gas buses.

He said: “This is the largest order for gas double decks in the world and is the culmination of our extensive research into alternative fuels.”

As well as being greener, the new buses will also feature comfier seats, USB power sockets at most seats and NCT’s standard free 4G Wi-Fi to keep passengers connected.

People are now being invited to see the buses for themselves before they go out on the road at an event in the Old Market Square this Friday. Five of the buses will be on display from 10am-6pm and will be officially launched by Nottingham’s Lord Mayor, Cllr Mike Edwards at the start of the event.

5,000 residents affected by council tax payment system error

Nick Salt
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5,000 residents affected by council tax payment system error

Over 5,000 residents have received a letter from Gedling Borough Council informing them their council tax payments were not taken following an error with a direct debit payment system.

These payments – which should have been taken on May 7 – failed to go through.

The council, who have apologised for the error, wrote to those affected this week to inform them they need to make a manual payment or have it taken automatically in early June.

A spokesperson for the council said: “The letter states that residents affected can either make the May payment manually or it will be taken on June 5. Their June council tax payment will then be taken as normal on June 7.”

Residents in Gedling borough urged to ‘unite against dementia’

Gedling Eye
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Residents in Gedling borough urged to ‘unite against dementia’

A local charity is teaming up with Gedling Borough Council to encourage people in the area to unite against dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Society in Gedling is encouraging residents in the borough to become Dementia Friends during Dementia Awareness Week

Dementia Friends are asked to learn a little bit more about what it’s like to live with dementia and then turn that understanding into action by either spreading the word about the Dementia Friends scheme or visiting someone they know living with the disease – every action counts.

Already more than 1.9 million people have become Dementia Friends across the country.

There will be a free 45-minute interactive Dementia Friends Information Session on Friday, May 19 at Gedling Borough Council’s Civic Centre in Arnold  at 2pm.

The sessions are run by volunteer Dementia Friends Champions and they will be the first to be run with the council this year.

Mark Towlson, Gedling Borough Council’s Dementia Champion said: “Dementia can affect a person’s relationships and their connection to the world they love, leaving them feeling isolated and alone. By becoming a Dementia Friend you can help keep people connected to their lives and people who matter most.

“This year, Alzheimer’s Society is asking people to come together to unite against dementia, forgetting their differences to help urgently find a cure, improve care, and offer help and understanding during Dementia Awareness Week.”

Ian Hind, Dementia Friends Officer for Alzheimer’s Society in the East Midlands, said: “We’re calling on people in Gedling to show their support at the awareness session on Friday 19 May this Dementia Awareness Week.

“Dementia doesn’t care who you are; it could affect us all. It’s set to be the 21st century’s biggest killer, with someone developing it every three minutes, and so many people are facing it alone.

“People with dementia often feel – and are – misunderstood, marginalised and isolated but with the right support and understanding they can continue to live fulfilling lives and make a contribution to their communities. So, unite with us now and join us on Friday.”

Hear future plans for Gedling Youth Centre building this Friday

Nick Salt
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Hear future plans for Gedling Youth Centre building this Friday

People in Gedling village are being given the chance to hear the latest plans for a former youth club building at a meeting this Friday (19).

The Old Station, off Shearing Hill, was home to Gedling Youth Centre for many years, but the building is now empty after being abandoned by the club several years ago.

A group of residents last year formed the Gedling Youth Centre Trust to ensure a new use could be found for the property that would benefit the local community.

After consulting with people in the village, the management team are now ready to reveal plans to

Rick Wilson, who is a member of the newly-formed Trust, hopes people in the local community will show an interest.

He said: “The newly formed management committee would like to take this opportunity to let people in the local community know what is proposed for the existing property.”

The Gedling Youth Centre Trust AGM is taking place this Friday at Gedling Memorial Hall from 7.30pm

Anyone wanting further information can contact Rick Wilson on 0115 9561385

Gedling transport scheme in urgent appeal for new drivers

Gedling Eye
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Gedling transport scheme in urgent appeal for new drivers

A transport scheme that helps elderly and disabled people in Gedling borough get out and about is urgently appealing for new volunteer drivers. 

Gedling Voluntary Transport Scheme have said that demand is outstripping supply in Gedling as passengers are get in touch with more requests to go to the shops, doctors, dentists, social clubs, hospitals, hairdressers and to visit friends and family.

A spokesman for the service said: “Volunteer drivers need to be friendly, like meeting people, have a clean driving licence and have some spare time.

“A bit of time given freely makes the world of difference to someone who would like to get out and about, but who can’t do this easily. Volunteer drivers used their own cars for which they get a mileage fee of 45p per mile travelled.

They added: “People who are retired, work part time or who have some spare time are ideal.  Drivers need to be used to dealing with a wide variety of people, reliable and have vital life skills that the community needs.

“Becoming a volunteer driver (from 1 day a week up to 5 days) could ease people into retirement, or give people something useful to do, while still keeping them busy and being community-minded as a volunteer. ”

Interested in finding out more? Email transport@rushcliffecvs.org.uk or call us on 0115 969 9060.

People in Gedling borough urged to follow Ransomware protection advice

Gedling Eye
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People in Gedling borough urged to follow Ransomware protection advice

Cyber experts are urging both individuals and businesses across Gedling borough to follow protection advice immediately following the recent ransomware attack on the NHS.

Ransomware is a form of malicious software (Malware) that enables cyber criminals to remotely lock down files on your computer or mobile device. Criminals will use ransomware to extort money from you (a ransom), before they restore access to your files.

There are many ways that ransomware can infect your device, whether it be a link to a malicious website in an unsolicited email, or through a security vulnerability in a piece of software you use.

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau has now issued an alert urging both individuals and businesses to follow the below protection advice immediately.

Key Protect messages for businesses to protect themselves from ransomware:

  • Install system and application updates on all devices as soon as they become available.
  • Install anti-virus software on all devices and keep it updated.
  • Create regular backups of your important files to a device that isn’t left connected to your network as any malware infection could spread to that too.

Key Protect advice for individuals:

  • Install system and application updates on all devices as soon as they become available.
  • Install anti-virus software on all devices and keep it updated.
  • Create regular backups of your important files to a device (such as an external hard drive or memory stick) that isn’t left connected to your computer as any malware infection could spread to that too.
  • Only install apps from official app stores, such as Google’s Play Store, or Apple’s App Store as they offer better levels of protection than some 3rd party  stores. Jailbreaking, rooting, or disabling any of the default security features of your device will make it more susceptible to malware infections.

Phishing/smishing
Fraudsters may exploit this high profile incident and use it as part of phishing/smishing campaigns. We urge people to be cautious if they receive any unsolicited communications from the NHS. The protect advice for that is the following:

  • An email address can be spoofed. Don’t open attachments or click on the links within any unsolicited emails you receive, and never respond to emails that ask for your personal or financial details.
  • The sender’s name and number in a text message can be spoofed, so even if the message appears to be from an organisation you know of, you should still exercise caution, particularly if the texts are asking you to click on a link or call a number.

Don’t disclose your personal or financial details during a cold call, and remember that the police and banks will never ring you and ask you to verify your PIN, withdraw your cash, or transfer your money to another “safe” account.

New Sunday train service from Carlton launches this weekend

Gedling Eye
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New Sunday train service from Carlton launches this weekend

Extra trains are to run from Carlton Station on Sundays from this weekend.

The move comes after passengers pushed for more services to call at the station on Sundays.

Currently the first train to Nottingham from Carlton Station is after 4pm. The new two-hourly Sunday service will be introduced by East Midland Trains on May 21.

From this date the first trains to call at Carlton will be at 9.36am (heading to Lincoln) and 9.58am (going to Nottingham). The next train to Lincoln that stops at Carlton will be at 11.36am and then 14.41pm and 17.33pm. The last train into Carlton heading to Lincoln will be at 22.34pm.

The next train to Nottingham following the 9.56am call at Carlton will be at 12.10pm. Trains will then run at 15.16pm, 17.14pm, 17.52pm and 19.01pm. The last train heading to Nottingham that calls at Carlton on Sundays will be at 23.05pm.

For more information visit www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk

Charity booksale in Carlton raises over £2,000 for local good causes

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Charity booksale in Carlton raises over £2,000 for local good causes

A charity booksale held recently in Carlton has raised over £2,000 for local causes.

Hundreds of visitors flocked to the ExLibris Masked Charity Booksale, which took place over two consecutive weekends in April and May.

Thousands of second-hand books were bought and helped raise £2299 in total which will be split between the Nottingham & Notts Refugee Forum and School for Parents charities.

Booksale visitors also filled two bins with food bank contributions during the event, and these have now been delivered to St George’s Centre in Netherfield for the town’s food bank.

Many visitors to the sale took part in the tradition of wearing a mask while attending the event. The tradition was started by Josiah Saithwaite, founder of the Federation of Masked Booksellers who are the group who organise the event. Saithwaite believed in doing good by stealth and decided therefore that the identities of all who helped out on his bookstalls should be concealed behind masks.

Chris Cann, who is one of the organisers from ExLibris, said: “We had a wonderful time, and really enjoyed watching people delight in finding book treasures, munching cakes and seeing children enthusiastic about the fun we’d laid on for them.

“So many people said appreciative things and told us that they look forward to our sales. One person said that our sale was the first place she was visiting after major surgery! People travelled to the sale from Leicester, Worksop, Mansfield, Belper, Ilkeston and possibly further.”

The sale was opened by locally born poet and writer Henry Normal – who is the brains behind TV hits The Royle Family, Gavin and Stacey and Mrs Merton. He also performed a poem he had written especially for the occasion.

The Mayor of the Borough of Gedling, Councillor Sandra Barnes, also visited the sale with her husband at the start of the second weekend. Cllr Barnes wore a rabbit mask during her visit – along with her chain of office.

Last year’s Mayor and local councillor Meredith Lawrence also paid a visit.

The sale also was supported by Nottingham-based Sleaford Mods, who donated signed albums and a poster for the raffle.

Facebook users in Gedling borough warned over ‘Freebie Trends’ scam

Gedling Eye
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Facebook users in Gedling borough warned over ‘Freebie Trends’ scam

Facebook users in Gedling borough are being warned about a new Facebook page calling itself ‘Freebie Trends’ which offers expensive prizes in exchange for likes, shares, comments and clicks.

Scam-busting website Hoax-Slayer.net is warning that this page is yet another scam designed to trick you into submitting your personal information on decidedly dodgy websites.

Experts at the site say that by tricking people into liking, sharing, and commenting on their fake giveaway posts, these scammers ensure that their fraudulent material is seen by an ever increasing number of potential victims.

When users click the “validate” link, they are taken to a web page that features a list of further prizes. Users are told that they are the “Winners of the Day” and are prompted to click a link to claim the supposed prize.  However, the links open various third-party websites that offer the chance to win yet more prizes in exchange for supplying your name and contact details.

Freebie-Trends
SCREENSHOT: Freebie Trends scam page on Facebook

A spokesman from Hoax-Slayer said: “The sites will share your information with site sponsors and third-party marketing companies. So, soon after participating, you will begin receiving annoying and unwanted phone calls, text messages, emails, and letters peddling all manner of products and services.

“But, no matter how many links you click or offers you participate in, you will never get to validate your Freebie Trends prize entry.  There are no prizes and nobody wins except the scammers.

The scammers earn money whenever people disclose their personal details on one of the sites.

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