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Nottingham News, Notts Health & Care

Rushcliffe Borough Council has signed up to Public Health England’s (PHE) Prevention Concordat for Better Mental Health to promote the wider health initiative. This will see the authority work closely with PHE to take significant steps towards the promotion of good mental health and the prevention of associated issues in Rushcliffe communities.

They are one of 74 organisations representing across all sectors that have now signed up to commit to action to make mental health a priority.
The Concordat will include drawing on the expertise of those who have experienced mental health problems and further identify solutions and promote equality for those who are seeking support. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Deputy Leader Cllr Debbie Mason and Chief Executive Kath Marriott were delighted to today receive acknowledgement from the PHE of the partnership.

Cllr Mason said: “We are proud to have partnered with Public Health England and committed to taking action on the promotion of good mental health and the prevention of mental health problems. “Initiatives in Rushcliffe, such as Rushcliffe Roots, have already demonstrated our focus on positive mental health and this Concordat provides resources to assist us in our continued efforts across the Borough.” Lily Makurah, national lead for public mental health at PHE, said:

“The Prevention Concordat for Better Mental Health exists to help communities prevent mental health problems and promote good mental health.

“Through local and national action across sectors we can all contribute to improving mental health and wellbeing, improve outcomes and reduce stigmas for everyone. “We’re delighted that Rushcliffe Borough Council have joined the growing list of signatories.”

The recently published NHS long term plan highlighted the need for a better balance between a system focused on detecting and treating illnesses, with one that also predicts and prevents poor health, including mental health. Signatories to the Concordat recognise the need to contribute to improve mental health and wellbeing and reduce stigma and facilitating local and national action.

Nottingham News, Notts Leisure, Notts Sport

Members of a bowls club are celebrating after securing their first qualifications as coaches that will encourage more players to get involved in the sport. Maurice Price, Richard Bailey, Val Finch, Sue Bailey, Meryl Hudson and Richard Teare from Rushcliffe Indoor Bowls Club have all achieved their Level 1 Certificate in Coaching Bowls.

The six members received support from Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Coach Scholarship Scheme last year with 50 per cent support towards the training costs, match funded by the English Indoor Bowling Association.
It will mean they can now offer more coaching sessions and will be running taster sessions at their Rushcliffe Arena base in the coming months to recruit new members.

Deputy Leader Cllr Debbie Mason met the group to congratulate them on their first step of the coaching ladder. The club’s Publicity Officer Irene Herod was delighted the players have now achieved the qualification.
She said: “This will really help more potential players of all ages to get involved and come and have a go at the sport. Well done to the coaches, they can’t wait to get going and welcome more new players to the club.

“We offer friendly and league matches, internal competitions and social bowling sessions as well as coaching and a dedicated junior section.
“Anyone wishing to join us to have a taster session or to play in our local leagues should email irene.herod@btconnect.com or call 0115 933 5202.”
The news follows investment from Rushcliffe Borough Council last year that saw a new laser levelled floor and carpet to make games faster and fairer at the Arena facility.

Nottingham News

An innovative new machine is improving the way potholes and roads are being repaired in Nottinghamshire as part of a £1.75m investment in new highways equipment by Nottinghamshire County Council. The Roadmaster has been out on the County’s roads this summer and has already made a big impact, allowing Via East Midlands, who manages Nottinghamshire’s highways network on behalf of the county council, to make high quality repairs and ensure that less potholes develop on Nottinghamshire’s roads.
A successful trial of the machinery has been taking place and the county council has now agreed to purchase a brand-new Roadmaster to be delivered ahead of the spring.

The Roadmaster is an all-in-one spray injection chip patching system. It treats surface defects effectively, sealing the target area, filling cracking and removing potholes whilst regulating the surface. It produces a better finish and it reduces the likelihood of road repairs failing prematurely.
Councillor John Cottee, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Communities and Place Committee chairman at Nottinghamshire County Council said: “We’ve been delighted with the positive impact that the new equipment has had on our repairs so far, providing us with another tool to repair and prevent road surface deterioration in the County and significantly improving productivity.

“Road repairs and resurfacing is one of our top priorities and this £1.75m is a long-term investment to save more money further down the line whilst improving the quality of road repairs, increasing productivity and extending the life expectancy of our roads and is another example of our continuing investment in the network.

“The new Roadmaster we have on order is due to be with us by the spring. It has a higher specification than the machine we’re currently using, including an integrated roller to provide an even better finish.” The Roadmaster allows relatively large areas of carriageway to be treated quickly meaning that teams can pull in more lower priority repairs in the process, slowing down the rate at which our roads deteriorate and reducing the need for future re-visits to the same locations.

In addition, the council are introducing mechanised patching, where new and existing equipment will be used together to make patching of larger areas of road, where the road surface has suffered significant deterioration, economically viable and also carry out deeper structural repairs. This will improve the quality of ride for road users as well as the appearance.
The use of both types of equipment across Nottinghamshire will be prioritised and depend on factors such as the type of road and nature of the repair needed, with existing methods of repair continuing across the network.

The county council will continue with its existing approaches to fixing potholes, including find and fix repairs using either Viafix or patching, ensuring the highway remains safe for road users.

“We repaired more than 115,000 potholes in 2018 following a harsh winter and almost 70,000 this year to date. Potholes are a major concern for residents and we’ve listened to this,” added Coun Cottee. “These methods provide us with two new tools in our armoury when it comes to tackling and preventing potholes in the county, further ensuring that we can make the right repair at the right time.” A £20m cash pot was set up by the county council in 2018 to invest in Nottinghamshire’s roads.

Lancashire News, Lancs Sport

adidas has announced a limited edition Blackburn SPEZIAL trainer.
The new shoe will be launched at a SPEZIAL exhibition in the town next month – with tens of thousands of people expected to attend. The Blackburn SPZL has been created by Darwen adidas designer Gary Aspden and is the lead release from the adidas Spezial AW19 range. A special run of 200 will sport the Nightsafe logo – with all proceeds from the sale going to the Blackburn charity which helps homeless and vulnerable youngsters and will be exclusively available from the exhibition. The green and red used in its design is inspired by the red rose of Lancashire.

Councillor Phil Riley, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Executive Member for Growth and Development, said: This all came out of a conversation during a chance meeting on the street in Darwen during one of Gary’s visits home.

Since then a lot of work has taken place behind the scenes and it’s just brilliant that the shoe and exhibition is now a reality. I think that says a lot about the attitude we have here, making sure we grasp every opportunity. There is a growing interest in Blackburn from some really talented people, like Gary.

Without a doubt the best creative projects are really driving improvements and now we have a global brand Adidas coming. I’m really looking forward to seeing the town come to life and lots of different people getting involved.
We are also expecting some national and international visitors. Businesses will benefit and also Nightsafe is going to get another boost. The adidas SPEZIAL exhibition will showcase the evolution of adidas footwear past and present in the magnificent Cotton Exchange.

It’ll be part of the first-ever British Textile Biennial – with Blackburn being a hub of events. Curated by Gary, a brand consultant for adidas and designer of the SPEZIAL range, the exhibition features shoes from his personal archive alongside those of other fellow adidas collectors – 1000 pairs of adidas trainers.

Highlights of the exhibition will be numerous versions of the vintage adidas ‘City Series’ models with a full archive of the adidas SPEZIAL range giving context to a new City Series silhouette – the adidas Blackburn SPZL. The adidas Blackburn SPZL is the lead release from the adidas Spezial AW19 range, and is named after the town where Gary spent much of his youth which has been a key inspiration in his work.

A full programme of events including gigs, talks and screenings will take place within the exhibition space, featuring special guests and friends of adidas. All proceeds will go to the Nightsafe charity. Hanon store will have a pop-up space in the exhibition retailing Spezial product.

Lancashire News

New features will be installed along Preston’s main shopping area, to increase public safety. Granite blocks, which people can also sit on, will be installed by Lancashire County Council at key positions along Fishergate and Church Street, from the Minster to the junction with Corporation Street.
The work will start from Monday 30 September to install the new measures.

The plans by the county council have been agreed following discussions with Lancashire Police, to reduce the risk of a serious incident. This will reduce the space for vehicles to mount the pavement, similar to measures used elsewhere in the UK and other countries to deter terrorist incidents.
However this is not in response to any specific threat.
The measures will complement and enhance the ongoing security programme in the city.

These new features will replace the large wooden planters, which were put in as a temporary measure while permanent options were agreed. Reflective sections on the blocks will help their visibility. The temporary planters were installed before Christmas 2017, while permanent plans were put in place. The planters will be offered to local communities around the county, to brighten up local areas.

The blocks have been designed by a specialist company to reduce vehicle access onto the pavement along Fishergate and Church Street, while matching in with the overall street design and integrating with existing security features. Measures will also be added outside the Guild Hall, as part of other improvement work.

Similar safety measures have been put in place in the UK and elsewhere in the world, to deter terrorist incidents. Organisations representing people with visual impairments have been made aware of these proposals. Lancashire Police and Preston City Council have been consulted as part of developing the plans. County Councillor Keith Iddon, Cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Thousands of people come into Preston every day and we have a responsibility to make sure that they can have a safe and enjoyable experience.

“We’ve taken the time to come up with the design of these safety measures, which places these measures at specific points along the pavement to reduce the chance of an incident involving a vehicle taking place.
“We’re bringing in these safety measures based on discussions with the police, but it’s important for people to know that this not due to any specific threat. We’re replacing our planters, which were always temporary.
“It’s important that any measures are proportionate, and that we can still carry on with our normal daily lives.”

Chief Inspector Steve Sansbury from Lancashire Police, who is responsible for local policing in Preston, said “Whilst these enhanced safety measures are not in response to any specific threat towards our communities in Preston, it is only right and proper that local agencies continually work together to review the measures that are in place, and where appropriate take sensible steps to ensure that the public utilising the city centre, for both business and pleasure, are as safe as possible”

Councillor Robert Boswell, Cabinet member for environment at Preston City Council, said: “The public realm improvements to Fishergate and Church Street over recent years have vastly enhanced the environment for visitors to Preston.

“They will further improve pedestrian safety for those enjoying the shopping offer and night time economy, or for those just passing through the area. “I am pleased that the materials to be used will be sympathetic to those used previously and that a balanced and proportionate approach is being taken to where the new features will be installed.”

Nottingham News, Notts What's On

Explore the beautiful scenery in and around Moorgreen, all whilst testing your fitness this autumn as the Moorgreen Duathlon returns on Sunday 13th October.

The popular event for anyone aged 15 and over is a fantastic opportunity to try something new and there are two disciplines to suit different levels of fitness.

The event starts at 9.00am with a run in around the Green Flag Award Winning Colliers Wood, followed by a bike ride on the surrounding roads in Moorgreen, Underwood and Watnall. The event finishes with a second run within Colliers Wood.
Beginners Event – £14
• 2K Run
• 8K Bike Ride
• 1K Run
Challenge Event – £18
• 4K Run
• 15.5K Bike Ride
• 2K Run

The event will be chip timed. For the event you will need trainers/running shoes, a roadworthy bike and a helmet. You will also need comfortable clothing for taking part in. Please bring your own water bottle to help us to reduce plastic waste at this event. Places sell out fast, book your tickets on our website by visiting, www.lleisure.co.uk/events/duathlon/
Why not try a spin class as part of your bike ride training? LLeisure have written a guide to everything you need to know about their spinning classes.

To book your place visit, https://www.lleisure.co.uk/events/ or contact the Get Active Team on getactive@lleisure.co.uk or call 0115 917 3572.

Lancashire News

Work has started to build more new homes for older residents and residents with dementia in Wigan Borough. Two new developments, in Leigh and Bryn, will offer 32 affordable homes which have been specially designed to suit the needs of residents to help them stay independent in their own home for longer. The investments are mainly funded through the council’s capital programme with grant funding through Homes England. It’s all part of the local authority’s approach to create specialised housing for residents to meet their needs.

Councillor Keith Cunliffe, deputy leader of the council, said: “We know having the right home has a direct impact on someone’s health and wellbeing and their quality of life. “Ultimately having the right home which meets your needs means you can live a longer, happier and healthier life.
“Through The Deal we are committed to building a high standard of accommodation that is well designed, attractive, and affordable for residents. “We want to keep people independent in their own homes but also connect them into a local community which is why these schemes are brilliant and they can help to tackle social isolation.”

The scheme at Etherstone Street in Leigh will be home to 12 apartments for residents living with dementia and is expected to be completed in April 2020. The Bryn development, on the former Walkden House site on Priory Road, will be 20 apartments for older people and will be complete in July 2020. It will be similar to a previous council scheme at Little Lane which opened last year, with a communal lounge and hosts regular activities for residents. The homes are being built by Seddon and will be let on affordable rents.

Duncan Williams, regional director at Seddon, said: “Our priority is to build the highest quality homes with exceptional facilities, allowing residents to maintain their independence for as long as possible. “These developments will be assets to the communities of Leigh and Bryn, and most importantly will be affordable to those who need them most. We look forward to handing the projects over in 2020 and seeing the positive impact made on local lives”. Susan Mackie, Specialist in the Home Ownership and Supply team, at Homes England, said:

“We are really pleased to be playing an integral role in funding the building of affordable and bespoke specialist homes in Wigan. “This joint venture with the council has enabled us to recognise the ambitions of the council in providing good quality specialist housing, and maximise our joint funding, resources and capabilities in delivering more homes faster.”

Nottingham News

Sutton has been successful in the Future High Streets fund following the announcement that a further 50 towns have made it through to the shortlist. The £1billion Government fund can be used to improve access to town centres, convert empty retail units and encourage investment in the town centre. The Council submitted their bid earlier this year and were disappointed not to have made the first 50 announced earlier this summer. Cllr Jason Zadrozny, Leader of Ashfield District Council said “Our officers worked hard to put together a submission that outlined a strong case for Sutton town centre. I am delighted that our hard work has now paid off.
“It was disappointing for all concerned when we didn’t make the first 50, I knew how strong our submission was and I’m pleased to see them increase the number of towns benefitting from the fund. We will now proceed in drawing up plans for the next stage.”

Following the announcement the Council will now wait to hear if it has been shortlisted for the second stage. If successful it will be able to access up to £150k to implement plans for Sutton town centre, that include improved pedestrian and public transport links into the town, investment in empty buildings and an improved offer within the town centre.

Cllr Zadrozny continued “The Council is fully committed to the regeneration of Sutton town centre and the recent investments from the likes of Wetherspoons and Angling Direct demonstrate that retailers share the vision too. Our investment in Idlewells indoor market is allowing independent retailers to thrive, and funding from the Future High Streets fund would allow us to build on the work and investment that has already taken place. Helping to turn Sutton into a vibrant hub where people want to shop and do business.”

The Council now awaits further details from the Government on the next stage of the funding process.

Lancashire News

Victoria Park has again been recognised by the Green Flag Award scheme as one of the very best green spaces in the world. The park is among a record-breaking 1,970 parks and green spaces in the UK and 131 across the globe that have recently received a prestigious Green Flag Award – the mark of a quality park or green space. It’s the fifth award Victoria Park has received in consecutive years, since it was first awarded in 2015.

This international award, first launched in 1997, is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.

The historic park and Grade II listed Mansion House have benefitted from over £3 million secured through the Heritage Lottery Fund, with many of its original features – dating back to the 1850s – repaired and restored in recent years. The park is continually being developed, and this year has seen the provision of further wild flower meadows in the park to attract more wild life and insects.

Recent improvements include the reinstatement of the boundary wall and fencing on Balker Drive, and the final restoration of the perimeter fence on Rutland Street. Councillor Lynn Clarke, St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said:

“The number of times Victoria Park has been awarded is testament to the dedication of our Rangers and grounds maintenance teams, community groups like the Friends of Victoria Park, and of course our residents, who are mindful to take care of this wonderful community asset.”

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said:
“It’s fantastic that we have more Green Flag Awards in the UK than ever before, joined this year by 131 International winners.” “Each flag honours the thousands of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award. We congratulate each and every winner on their fantastic achievement.”

Nottingham News, Notts Health & Care

Volunteer groups in Keyworth and the Wolds have been awarded funding from Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Community Support Scheme assisting a Young People’s Centre and local Women’s Institute Group with much needed investment for projects. Cabinet members Cllrs Rob Inglis and Andy Edyvean and Cllr John Cottee, all ward councillors for the local area, each selected funding towards the Keyworth Young People’s Centre and Willoughby-on-the-Wolds Women’s Institute.

The Centre were able to purchase a new football table and games console, that were amongst the most wanted items by users and the WI were assisted with the cost of a day trip to the national learning centre in Oxfordshire.

Chris Seager, Youth Worker at the centre thanked the councillors for their support and funding, enabling them to buy new equipment that will assist further social and recreational activities for local young people.
He said: “Through the fund raising efforts of the young people here and a partnership with our local councillors we were able to raise enough money to buy the new equipment for the centre.

“It has been a really great project from start to finish with a wide range of the young people getting involved. “Because it’s something that has been chosen by them, they have a real sense of achievement and success from their efforts and hard work.

“Thanks again to councillors Inglis, Edyvean and Cottee for their support with this project!” The Chair of the WI Christine Hull described the support as “fabulous”. She said: “We were so grateful to receive a Community Grant funding from our three Borough Councillors.

“We could finally arrange this trip which had been previously financially restrictive for some of our members. “We all had a truly fantastic day and we cannot thank them all enough.” Cllr Inglis said: “We consider it very important to support ideas that encourage social interaction amongst local community groups. “In the Youth Centre’s case, we were delighted to provide a joint contribution from our Community Grant funds to ensure they could make the purchases.

“If any there are any other projects within our Ward that need a funding contribution we ask groups to contact us at www.rushcliffe.gov.uk.” Cllr Edyvean added: “We were pleased we could make the difference to one of our local WI’s that enabled them to visit their college and enjoy an informative day.

“They certainly deserve something back for all their voluntary and fundraising work in the community.” Cllr Cottee said: “We know how vital funding can be to local groups so they can pursue their activities that increase people getting out and about and active in their local communities.
“It’s great to hear feedback that the groups really value the contributions we were able to make.” The Community Support Scheme allocates £1000 to each Councillor to spend in their ward for the benefit of their community.
Individuals or community groups in Rushcliffe that may benefit from the scheme can contact their local Councillor.