Rushcliffe Borough Council is appealing to bicycle owners to not give thieves an easy ride and always correctly lock and secure their bikes with a stronger ‘D’ lock. Many bikes that are stolen each year are commonly not secured properly either with a flimsy weak lock that can be cut easily or tied incorrectly.

The authority’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment and Safety Cllr Rob Inglis met Nottinghamshire Police PCSO Vee Mawer and the Council’s Community Safety Projects Officer Judith Brown to find out more about how to increase bike security.

He said: “Cyclists need to remember a few key measures that will deter thieves from targeting their bikes and investing a few pounds in a more robust ‘D’ lock is a must.

“Always tie the lock around the central triangle frame of the bike too and don’t attach it to below the seat or above a wheel where thieves could loosen these items to remove the lock. “The weaker, flimsy cable locks offer very little protection and in seconds a thief without drawing attention to themselves can cut through it, so always ensure it is a D lock and strong and secure.” It is also advised to where possible cyclists across Rushcliffe and Nottinghamshire should use secure facilities such as The Cycle Hub on Bridgford Road in West Bridgford. Residents can obtain a City Cycle Card to access similar hubs and more information can be found at http://www.citycardcycles.com/

In some locations in the Borough if the Council’s Community Safety team spot a bike secured with a weak lock, it is tagged to notify the owner it needs to be more secure. The tag offers the bike owner the opportunity to bring along the tag and the lock to one of the Council’s contact points to swap it for a ‘D’ lock. The Community Safety team and West Bridgford Police also hold bi-monthly bike security sessions, where your bike can also be security marked and a weak lock swapped for a ‘D’ lock free of charge to Rushcliffe residents whilst stocks last.

No one knows exactly how many carved mice are hidden in the pulpit and pews at All Saints Church, Babworth. Or at least, if they do, they are not telling! What is known, is that the carved oak mice are the trademark of Yorkshireman, Robert Thompson, born in 1876, who dedicated his life to the craft of carving and joinery in English Oak. It was he who carved the oak fittings in beautiful Babworth Church.

The famous mouse symbol, found on every item crafted by Robert Thompson’s has an uncertain history. The story told by Robert Thompson himself was that one of his craftsmen remarked that they; “were all as poor as church mice”, whereupon Robert carved a mouse on the church screen he was working on. That particular mouse has never been found but it has continued as a trade mark of quality and dedication to craftsman ever since. Babworth Church is known as the spiritual home of the Mayflower Pilgrims as it was here that William Bradford of Austerfield and William Brewster of Scrooby came to hear Reverend Richard Clifton preach.

When he lost his livelihood at Babworth, Clifton held secret meetings at Scrooby Manor, and the beginnings of the Separatist movement were born.
To commemorate the forthcoming 400th anniversary of the Mayflower journey in 2020, Bassetlaw District Council and Sally Outram, Director of Mayflower Pilgrims jointly commissioned a bespoke collection plate from Robert Thompson’s company, complete with mouse, to present to Reverend Cora Yarrien, of the Benefice of Idle and Sand, which includes Babworth Church. Cllr Jo White, Deputy Leader of Bassetlaw District Council said; “We wanted to present this plate to Babworth as a symbol of our thanks to the Reverend and church wardens at All Saints Church who have gone out of their way to make visitors welcome.

“We have seen a marked increase in Mayflower descendants, tour operators and journalists coming to this area as interest in the 2020 anniversary builds, and we appreciate that Babworth is first and foremost a much loved place of worship with a very loyal congregation. This gift is as much to Babworth’s parishioners as it is to Reverend Yarrien.”

The church at Babworth is one of eight sites where new Pilgrims Trail interpretation boards are to be installed as part of the £750,000 Heritage Lottery supported Pilgrim Roots project led by Bassetlaw District Council. The trail complements a new Pilgrims Gallery at Bassetlaw Museum, scheduled to open in August 2019.

Selston Country Park has been recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme as one of the very best parks in the world it joins five other green spaces awarded recognition in Ashfield. The Green Flag was raised by the Leader of Ashfield District Council, Cllr Jason Zadrozny, Cllr Arnie Hankin, Cllr Andy Gascoyne, Cllr David Martin and the Chairman of ADC Cllr Anthony Brewer along with members of ADC’s Environment team who maintain the park. This is the 8th year of retaining the Green Flag Award, having first received the award in 2012.

The park is among a record-breaking 1,970 UK parks and green spaces and 131 in thirteen other countries around the world that will today receive a prestigious Green Flag Award– the mark of a quality park or green space. This international award, now into its third decade, is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.

Cllr Helen-Ann Smith, portfolio holder for Streets, Parks and Green Spaces said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive a Green Flag Award for the 8th year. We are working hard to deliver improvements to our parks and green spaces throughout the district because we know how much quality green spaces matter to residents and visitors. The Green Flag Award recognises the hard work and dedication of the Environment team who work all year round maintaining our parks and green spaces to such a high standard.”