This month’s aerial photo shows the 18th century stable block at Wollaton Park. This was once home to Nottingham Police horses but today houses a courtyard café and gallery and Nottingham Industrial Museum.
The photo was taken by Robin Macey who is a member of Nottingham & Derby Hot Air Balloon Club. The club is currently looking to expand. Members take turns being on the chase crew as well as flying in the basket. For further details about how to get involved phone 0115-8541028 or visit www.facebook.com/ndhabc.
This year’s Splendour
had sold out in record time, shifting an incredible 25,000 tickets to
the good folk of Nottingham (although not exclusively to
Nottinghamshire folk). Splendour returned to Wollaton Hall for
another day of musical delights. This year the organisers had pulled
out all the stops to create a line up which would make all other
musical events green with envy.
Rag N Bone Man at Splendour 2019 – image credit – Jake Haseldine
As always it feels like
the organisers attempted to cater for all types of music fans and
this year, they had ticked all the right boxes. Rock music category
was covered by having none other than Manic Street Preachers
headlining after a decade of not playing in Nottingham. Pop music
fans were well catered for with the All Saints and Louisa. Then for
all of us older music fans, there were blasts into the 80s from
Roland Gift (Fine Young Cannibals) . For the younger generation of
fans there were current artistes such as Rag ‘n’ Bone man and The
Slow Readers Book Club, and The Rifles and the X Factor winner
Louisa.
If fans got bored of
the music that was on offer, punters could wander over to the comedy
stage. The organisers also provided fun for children with fair rides
and other activities available. Without a shadow of doubt this is one
of those events that can be fun for all the family.
Kids Area at Splendour 2019 image credit – Ami Ford
Sadly, the one thing
the organisers had no control over was the weather, and unfortunately
if you were unlucky to be there right at the start, you would have
got drenched and spent the rest of the day drying out throughout the
glorious sunshine.
Upon
arrival there were hundreds of people carrying camping chairs and
picnics to take inside the arena. Security were friendly enough and
were patient whilst ticket holders opened all their bags to be
checked.
Once inside the
exquisite grounds of Wollaton Hall, thousands of music fans had
already set out their camping chairs and picnic mats to set up and
wait for the musical delights that were scheduled to entertain the
awaiting fans.
First up was Remy
(Winner of Nottingham’s Future Sound) he entertained the ample
sized crowd with his acoustic guitar melodies. During Remy’s set
the glorious sunshine quickly turned to rain. In a flash the crowd
were transformed from a t-shirt wearing mob into a mass of
waterproofs and umbrellas.
Due to the downpour,
the main stage bands had to do their best against a crowd who were
getting soaked. Rob Green, Barns Courtney and The Slow Readers Club
all tried to take the crowds mind of the weather.
The sunshine made an
appearance just as Louisa (X-Factor Winner) won over the crowd with
her incredible vocals and lively stage persona.
The audience then
quadrupled in size for the arrival of the Rag ‘n’ Bone Man. If
you love his voice through the radio, it is even more incredible
live. He saved “Human” until the end of his set creating a huge
sing along amongst the crowd. A genuine all-time favourite Splendour
moment.
After spending most of
the day in front of the main stage, it was time to see what was
happening on the Confetti stage. Thankfully Roland Gift (Fine Young
Cannibals) was captivating the audience with a trip down memory lane
with hits such as “Johnny Come Home” and “She Drives
Me Crazy” as well as a cover version of Elvis Presley’s
“Suspicious Minds”. Even after all these years Roland’s
vocals sound as sweet as they did back in the 80s.
All Saints at Splendour 2019 – image credit – Jake Haseldine
The All Saints
headlined the Confetti stage and they brought their A game with them.
All four members looking just as wonderful as they did back in the
late 90s/early 2000. This performance was slick. Extremely
well-choreographed with delightful vocal melodies throughout songs
such as “Booty Call”, “Under The Bridge”, and
“Pure Shores” in some ways it was too polished almost
superhuman until they had a technical difficulty and then they
became unsure if they should talk to the crowd or wait for the
technical difficulty to be sorted. Nonetheless, a great powerful, pop
fuelled injection to the day.
Manic Street Preachers
headlined the main stage with their blend of rock. Opening with the
catchy “Motorcycle Emptiness”, although at times it was
difficult to hear the guitar solos from James Dean Bradfield. (This
may have been due to the breeze flowing across the site). In no time
at all they had ploughed through a back catalogue of hits such as
“Everything Must Go”, “You Love Us” and “If
You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next”. As well as
squeezing in a cover version of Guns N Roses “Sweet Child O’
Mine” which created a heart-warming sing along from the fans.
Mani Street Preachers at Splendour 2019
image credit – Jake Heseldine
Manic Street Preachers
saved “Design for Life” until the end of their set, as is
usual with the Welsh rockers they very rarely do encores, and tonight
they stuck with tradition and did not oblige the fans with an encore.
Nonetheless, A masterclass in how to headline a music event.
Hopefully they won’t leave it another ten years before playing in
Nottingham again. The only disappointment was that they left “Faster”
out of their setlist.
Splendour 2019 was a
fabulous family friendly day out, with one of their best line ups
since Splendour started. The only difficulty the organisers have now
is how do they make Splendour 2020 even better??
With just over one week to go, the Wollaton Park music festival, headlined by Manic Street Preachers and The Specials, is heading for a sell-out.
An additional name has also been added to the bill. Joining the line-up of international stars, exciting new artists and established favourites is singer-songwriter, Remy. After impressing judges and winning ‘Future Sound of Nottingham’ at Rock City against six other local artists, he will open Splendour and rub shoulders with the likes of Manic Street Preachers, The Specials, Rag’n’Bone, The Slow Readers Club and Rob Green on the Main Stage. Main Stage 21:00 – 22:30 Manic Street Preachers 19:00 – 20:15 The Specials 17:30 – 18:30 Rag‘n’Bone Man 16:30 – 17:00 Louisa 15:30 – 16:00 The Slow Readers Club 14:30 – 15:00 Barns Courtney 13:30 – 14:00 Rob Green 12:30 – 13:00 Remy
Confetti Stage 20:15 – 21:15 All Saints 18:30 – 19:30 Roland Gift (FYC) 17:00 – 17:45 Ash 16:00 – 16:30 The Rifles 15:00 – 15:30 The Coronas 14:00 – 14:30 Do Nothing 13:00 – 13:30 Bria 12:00 – 12:30 Ava Saint
Courtyard Stage 20:30 – 21:00 My Pet Fauxes 19:30 – 20:00 Mid November 18:30 – 19:00 Esther Van Leuven 17:30 – 18:00 Megatrain 16:30 – 17:00 Velvet Blush 15:30 – 16:00 94 Gunships 14:30 – 15:00 Re Teu 13:30 – 14:00 Laurie Illingworth 12:30 – 13:00 Camille Christel
Comedy Stage 18:00 – 18:30 Suzy Bennett 17:00 – 17:30 Roger Monkhouse 16:00 – 16:30 Vince Atta 15:00 – 15:30 Sean Heydon 14:00 – 14:30 Nathan Caton With compère Andy Robinson
Fringe Stage 17:15- 17:45 The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican 16:00 -16:30 Mrs Green 15:00 -15:30 Rhymes Against Humanity 14:00 -14:30 Salsa with Salsa Bae 13:00 -13:30 Spoken Word with Stephen & Friends 12:00 -12:30 Yoga and Mindfulness session
The award-winning music event takes place at Wollaton Park on Saturday 20 July. Children under 11 will once again be admitted free and discounts are also in place for Nottingham City residents. Including booking fee, a standard ticket is £56.65, coming down to £45.65 when the Nottingham City discount is applied. Tickets for Nottingham City residents aged 11-17 are £22. VIP packages are also available and start from £87.65 for a Nottingham City adult.
Tickets can be purchased from the newly launched website splendourfestival.com or in person from the Nottingham Tourism Centre. To claim Nottingham City resident discount, a copy of your council tax bill is required.
To stay in touch with festival news follow Splendour on social media: Facebook: @splendourfestivalUK Twitter: @splendourfest Instagram: @splendourfest #SplendourFest.
Councillor Kay Cutts, Leader at Nottinghamshire County Council, will welcome 150 delegates to a Summit to hear about the county’s plans to become a leading tourism destination. I will be one of the keynote speakers at the Nottinghamshire Tourism Summit at Rufford Mill where I will be joined by leading figures from the worlds of business, economic and visitor development, tourism and regeneration.
The Summit will highlight the County Council’s ten-plan to increase tourism by 20 per cent which in turn will create 2,900 jobs and boost the local economy by more than £240m. I am a proud resident of Nottinghamshire and I’d like the rest of the country to know just what this wonderful county has to offer in terms of our fascinating history and heritage, visitor attractions and spectacular nature reserves like Creswell Crags and Sherwood Forest.
Award winning Creswell Crags in Worksop is truly a hidden gem on our doorstep. The magnificent magnesian limestone gorge which is dotted with a large number of caves, fissures and rock shelters, harbours many secrets from our Prehistoric past. The siege of Newark Castle is a story that is not often told and the county’s involvement in the Civil War – it started in Nottingham and finished in Nottinghamshire – is a little-known fact. Nottinghamshire also played a significant role in the journey of the Mayflower Pilgrims, one that is charted at the Mayflower Pilgrims Visitor Centre in Retford, and one that will be celebrated from this November with various events.
Of course, the Summit is being held in the grounds of Rufford Abbey Country Park, a venue that is regularly voted the county’s favourite free tourist attraction, and we will have delegates attending from the DH Lawrence Museum, Thoresby Hall and Lord Byron’s ancestral home Newstead Abbey. A few weeks ago we commemorated the D-Day Landings, and we in Nottinghamshire have our own World War Two sites that honour our war dead.
The county has numerous airfields and crash sites that pay homage to Nottinghamshire’s fallen. So, there is no doubt we have the history and heritage to rival any county and we need to shout about it. As well as these attractions and venues we have sporting venues that are the envy of the world, topped of course by the world-renowned Trent Bridge. And why are we holding this Summit?
Quite simply, we want to unlock the potential of the visitor economy and the benefits associated with tourism. We want to create jobs and opportunities for local people. By increasing visitors to Nottinghamshire we increase the need for jobs, thereby improving local people’s prospects and quality of life.
Collectively we can make a difference and I hope today’s Summit is start of a journey that truly sees Nottinghamshire on the regional, national and international tourism map.
Last year more than 4,500 residents in Hawtonville, Newark, had the chance to receive free travel advice on their doorstep through the County Council’s Travel Choice scheme to encourage walking, cycling, public transport use and car sharing around the town.
This two-year scheme is funded by £845,000 from the Department for Transport, with local contributions from Nottinghamshire County Council. The project aims to help residents, businesses, jobseekers and school leavers to explore different ways to travel around Nottinghamshire and help to improve local air quality, improve access to employment, tackle congestion and promote a healthier lifestyle.
Of the 950 households in Newark that accepted the offer of personalised travel information last year, 65% of those surveyed stated the information they received was useful in helping them to consider their travel options and 32% changed the way they travelled as a result of the scheme, with more residents walking, cycling and driving less. Next month the Travel Choice team will be returning to Newark to support a further 4,500 households in New Balderton, Balderton and the Lincoln Road Estates to explore their travel options.
Postcards are being delivered to households in late June to let residents know that a travel advisor will be visiting in early July over a period of three to four weeks. Households will be given the chance to ‘opt-out’ so a travel adviser doesn’t call. Similarly, households can choose not to take part when a travel advisor calls. Following conversations with the residents, the Travel Choice team will send a free, personalised ‘travel pack’ full of local transport information and maps showing local walks, cycle routes and public transport offers.
Councillor John Cottee, Communities and Place Committee Chairman said: “We know that many residents are already making sustainable transport choices and are also improving their fitness by walking or cycling. I hope this free travel advice will motivate even more people to explore their travel options and make some small changes like leaving their car at home for short journeys, car sharing or giving public transport a go. “The County Council has a long-term plan to help promote sustainable transport and improve air quality. Encouraging more people to consider walking, cycling and catching the bus is a key part of this plan. “
The Travel Choice team is also working with students and jobseekers to support them into employment, apprenticeships or further education by informing them of various travel options. Local businesses are also getting involved with the chance for their employees to get advice, cycle training, wellbeing checks, cycle maintenance and other support to encourage them to choose healthy and sustainable ways to commute to work.
A similar scheme is being rolled out in Mansfield next month. For more information on the project or for help planning a journey visit http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/travelchoice or contact one of the Travel Choice team travelchoice@nottscc.gov.uk
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.
A new ‘Super Kitchen’ has been launched in Cotgrave to help tackle food waste and reduce social isolation in its communities. Rushcliffe Borough Council and Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing are working with volunteers to source and create delicious meals for local residents at the kitchen using left over food from surplus food charity Fareshare.
The kitchen is open every Thursday at Cotgrave Welfare Centre from 12pm to 2pm, where attendees pay just £2.50 for a healthy balanced meal and have the chance to make friends and socialise with fellow attendees. The initiative forms part of the Rushcliffe Roots campaign, which aims to celebrate healthy, locally sourced and sustainable food whilst connecting residents with their food roots.
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Deputy Leader Cllr Debbie Mason said: “We hope the Super Kitchen will bring people together with nutritious food at a low cost, providing social and health benefits.
“It’s vital we give as many residents as possible in Rushcliffe the chance to access healthy food and learn more about why a balanced diet is so important.” Local GP Dr Richard Stratton from Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group, Operations Manager at PartnersHealth Nikki Lucas also attended the event to lend their support to the campaign.
Dr Stratton said: “There is a really strong community feel in Cotgrave and these events can really benefit vulnerable groups such as those who are socially isolated or at risk of food poverty. “Attending these events can provide residents with a mental boost and it’s great that surplus food is used giving environmental benefits too.”
For more information on setting up your own Super Kitchen initiative, visit www.superkitchen.org
An increasing demand for skilled healthcare professionals has led to a shortage of allied healthcare workers, especially phlebotomists – the skilled healthcare professionals who take your blood. Demand is at an all-time high with hospitals, clinics and GP Surgeries offering a golden opportunity for that “longed for” career change! If you have good people skills and manual dexterity, and like the idea of working in a busy healthcare environment, a phlebotomist job may be just the job for you!
Many people enter this profession when they are looking for a career change or a fresh start and they often have no previous qualifications or experience in healthcare. Phlebotomists can work part time (usually mornings) but also may choose to work full time as well as weekends, holidays and bank work. Blood samples are usually collected before mid-day and then analysed in your local hospital’s Path Lab in the afternoon. “We train people from all walks of life and all ages” explains Amy, Geopace office manager. “We’ve had school leavers, shop assistants, receptionists, beauticians and dental nurses, as well as telesales staff, unemployed and the retired who are looking for a challenge. We also have referrals from JobCentres (DWP), who can sometimes pay for your course in full if you are eligible” says Amy.
Once you are on the healthcare career ladder there are often opportunities to progress into other areas, such as working in the hospital path lab or other departments. Promotion is much easier once you are “on the ladder” and have some experience behind you.
Many Geopace students are now working as phlebotomists throughout the UK and a few have even chosen to work abroad where there is often a similar shortage and growing demand for this specialised skill. An interesting booklet featuring student’s “Success Stories” is written by the student’s themselves and looks at how they have made the move from wide and varied backgrounds to find themselves now working as phlebotomists. A copy can be downloaded from the Geopace website’s testimonials page. If you like the idea of a challenging career in healthcare and particularly in phlebotomy then this may be the perfect move for you! The comprehensive training course last a full two days and culminates in the award of a nationally recognised and accredited certificate. “We practice taking blood from artificial arms”, says Lauren “and everyone on our course has a lot of fun! We get a great deal of satisfaction later on when we hear from our students that they are working for their local GP surgery or in their local hospital.”
Upcoming courses are running in Lincoln, Leicester and Nottingham. If you would like to know more about phlebotomy as a career or to book a place on the course visit Geopace Training’s website at www.geopace.net
Rushcliffe residents can now make their properties even greener by applying for free trees for their homes and communities within the Borough. Crab Apple and Rowan trees are now available free of charge to all residents as part of Rushcliffe Borough Council’s strategy to provide sustainable environments as part of the Borough’s significant housing and employment growth in the next decade. Households can apply for up to two trees by visiting www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RushcliffeFreeTrees2019 and submitting an application before September 30.
Cllr Rob Inglis Portfolio Holder for Environment and Safety said: “We are very pleased to be running this scheme again, after such a great response from residents last year where we handed out over 1,600 trees. “There is also an opportunity for residents to join our tree warden scheme, to protect and help trees to flourish in our towns and villages. “We hope that by increasing the number of trees in the Borough, as our communities grow, our green environments will continue to do so and improve the quality of life for current and future residents.” Successful applicants will be able to collect the trees from the Council in November. The Crab Apple, or Malus Sylvestris, can grow to 12 metres and suit areas of partial shade, whilst the Rowan trees, or Sorbus Aucuparia, grow best in full sunlight and can reach up to eight metres.
The Council are also offering to supply and plant up to 10 trees per parish this autumn and winter, on land identified by Parish Councils with the owner’s permission. Residents can find out more information on these locations by emailing media@rushcliffe.gov.uk
Armed Forces Veterans and Reservists are now guaranteed an interview for job vacancies at Rushcliffe Borough Council if they meet the essential criteria for a role. The authority is continuing its commitment to signing the Armed Forces Covenant with extended opportunities for ex-service men and women to join the organisation.
If an individual applies for a vacancy and meets the essential criteria stated on the person specification, they will then be contacted to attend for interview to be considered for the post. If appointed to a role, the Council also now provide a buddy support system to help them to settle into their new work place. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Deputy Leader and Armed Forces Community Covenant Champion Cllr Debbie Mason expressed her delight at further supporting those back in civilian life who have served their country and those that are in the reserve forces.
She said: “This is another reason why we pledged our support to the covenant so we could extend support not just in the community to those returning from duty or reservists but also with employment opportunities. “We are very aware of the variety of transferable skills reservists, veterans and current personnel develop throughout their careers that they could bring to the civilian workplace.
“The aptitudes and values many learn in the military can make them perfect candidates for roles in any sector but given the public element of the services we provide they may be well placed to fill roles with us. “We would be delighted to receive more applications from those who state an interest in the wide ranging opportunities our Council services provide.” Vacancies at the Council at www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/jobs currently include roles in administration, as a driver/loader and as a caretaker and play attendant at Rushcliffe Country Park.
All vacancies are also advertised on the Career Transition Partnership website at www.ctp.org.uk/ a Ministry of Defence website aimed at alerting ex-service men and women to job opportunities nationally.
