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Nottingham News, Notts Leisure

Norfolk is a diverse county with fantastic coast and different landscapes, visitor attractions and things to do.There’s also plenty of events going on. With so much to do it’s hard to narrow down the long list of reasons to visit.
Brilliant visitor attractions Norfolk has adventure playgrounds such as BeWILDerwood and Go Ape. You can meet animals at Banham Zoo, Wroxham Barns, Amazonia and Thrigby Hall and dinosaurs at Dino Adventure Park.

Discover more about the natural world at Pensthorpe and Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden. There’s Norman Castle Rising and Norwich Castle; stately homes such as Sandringham, Holkham, Blickling, Felbrigg and Houghton; and Norfolk has wonderful museums too. Seaside resorts for family fun Norfolk has amazing seaside resorts that offer flip-flop family fun! In Great Yarmouth there’s the Golden Mile and Pleasure Beach.Cromer has the last end-of-pier theatre show in Europe. Hunstanton has trips to see the seals and plenty to amuse

Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth is famous as a family holiday destination, bursting with fun things to do, activities for all, shows and attractions stretching along the fabled Golden Mile and the huge expanse of pristine beach
As well as being East Anglia’s premier beach resort, Great Yarmouth also has a fabulous maritime heritage and a port famous for once being the hub of the herring industry. Great Yarmouth’s Golden Mile is a paradise for people who enjoy seaside entertainment at its best. Indoor and outdoor entertainment venues line the promenade and there are rides and attractions for all ages along the seafront.

You can play adventure golf, ride on giant snails, enjoy freshly-cooked doughnuts, fish and chips or an ice cream, and then head off for a ride on a scream-inducing rollercoaster or take in a superb show or go racing.
The Greater Yarmouth area contains wonderful countryside, charming villages, the scenic Breydon Water, and a quieter but no less appealing seaside resort in Gorleston-on-Sea and the vibrant village resort of Hemsby.
Visitors have been coming to Great Yarmouth since the late 1700s and the resort is now one of the most popular in the UK for day trips, weekend breaks and longer holidays, offering all the character of a traditional seaside trip but with a very modern twist.

There are more than 15 miles of sandy beaches within the Greater Yarmouth area, all with gentle slopes that make bathing a delight, from the marram dunes of Winterton-on-Sea and Hemsby in the north to cliff-backed Hopton-on-Sea in the south.

Cromer
Cromer is famous for the eponymous and world-famous Cromer Crab – a fresh brown crab which you can find in many establishments throughout the town, in salads, sandwiches, dressed or in their shells. The reason Cromer’s crabs are so tender and sweet is that they grow slowly on the chalk reef just off the coast (Yes, really! A reef!).

The town doesn’t have a harbour, so the fishing boats are hauled up on to the shingle by the cobblestoned Gangway. Nearby is the Henry Blogg Museum, named after the town’s most distinguished lifeboatman.
Above the family-friendly beach, you can explore the town’s tight streets, the church of St Peter and St Paul with its wonderful stained glass and 160ft tower (the tallest in Norfolk), and the Cromer Museum where you can learn about the town’s fishing, trading and seaside history – or just simply enjoy the peaceful mini-parks and gardens. Oh yes, and the little subject of our amazing Deep History Coast, home to mammoths, hyaenas and lions!
Broadland and the Broads

Norfolk is possibly most famous for the man-made Broads, a National Park with over 125 miles of navigable lock-free waterways set in beautiful countryside and studded with charming and picturesque towns and villages. The big skies and sparkling landscape of marshland fields, feathery reeds and tangled woodlands are a perfect canvas for adventure and relaxation – time to reflect, space to explore, a magical opportunity to enjoy a fabulous break. This is the Venice of the East – in fact, the Norfolk Broads has more miles of waterway than the Italian city! It also has more waterways than Amsterdam!

The Broads National Park offers visitors an experience unlike any other, both on its rivers and lakes, and alongside them, on peaceful paths and cycle ways. Without a doubt, the best way to discover the Broads is by boat. So much of the Broads can’t be reached by road that days – and nights – afloat become a real adventure, with hidden places, perfect fishing spots and close encounters with wildlife at every turn.

The famous Broads motor cruisers have been holiday favourites since the 1930s, and today’s boats have all the comforts of home on board, so even if you prefer to visit during the quieter, cooler months, you’ll have a cosy base for your explorations. With fresh air, sparkling water and wide horizons by day, and wonderfully dark, starry nights, a boating holiday on the Broads is an unforgettable experience.

There are plenty of places along the meandering waterways for you to moor up and hop out to explore pretty villages and market towns, or to stop at a welcoming pub. Beaches – miles and miles of unspoilt sand
Norfolk has 90 miles of unspoilt coast (93 when the tide’s out) with cliffs, marram grass-tufted dunes and tidal salt marshes. Most of all though, it has pristine beaches ideal for swimming, playing games and building sandcastles.

On the east coast, there’s Gorleston, Gt Yarmouth, Winterton, Sea Palling, Horsey and more. On the north Norfolk coast Cromer is great, Brancaster is huge and Holkham/Wells has been voted the best beach in Britain!
Norfolk is possibly most famous for the man-made Broads, Britain’s Magical Waterland and National Park, over 125 miles of navigable lock-free waterways set in beautiful countryside and with many charming and picturesque towns and villages – and even mentioned in David Bowie’s Life on Mars!

The big skies and sparkling landscape of marshland fields, feathery reeds and tangled woodlands are a perfect canvas for adventure and relaxation – time to reflect, space to explore, a magical opportunity to enjoy a fabulous break.

Lancashire News

Town Centre Improvements
ChorleyCouncil have agreed a £16m package of investment in the town centre that will see a huge amount of work taking place to attract more visitors. The highlights of the scheme include an extension to Market Walk shopping centre, which will bring a six-screen cinema, an M&S Foodhall with click and collect, high street retailers and restaurants to the town and a programme to improve the appearance of the rest of the town centre streets making it more pedestrian-friendly and a great place to enjoy your leisure time. ​This work coincides with two other major projects – to create a new youth zone for Chorley, which is now open and proving really popular, and to build the Primrose Gardens retirement village on Fleet Street, which is due to open in spring 2019.

Timeline of activity
The council have now started the main construction of the Market Walk shopping centre and wanted to update you on what will be happening when over the coming weeks.
The key dates are:
• Steelwork construction underway
• Minor diversion of footpath linking Flat Iron to by-pass – Monday 28 January for two weeks
• Works on Union Street – spring (date TBC)
• Extension building looking finished to the exterior –July/August
• Tenant fit out – September – November
• Opening of the extension – scheduled for early December 2019

Lancashire News, Lancs Health & Care

How many times have you thrown ‘perfectly good’ food in the bin?
That chicken you just didn’t get around to cooking, the veg that has clearly seen better days and there’s always the odd banana that just didn’t make it into a lunchbox.

You’re not alone.
You may be surprised to know that every year; the average family in the UK throws away around £700 of edible food – enough to pay for a family holiday for some. Here, in Blackburn with Darwen, shocking figures show that food waste can account for almost half of what we send to landfill – and it costs the Council £100 for every tonne. So, who better to help inspire change than Blackburn’s MasterChef finalist and passionate foodie – Moonira Hinglotwala?

The mum-of-two shot to fame in 2018 when she wowed judges, John Torode and Greg Wallace, with her Indian fusion cooking. She’d had a very good teacher – her mother, who she used to watch from a stool in the family kitchen. As the eldest of five siblings, Moonira would happily pitch in with the cooking – turning her hand to the families’ favourite Gujarati recipes, which had been lovingly passed down from her grandmother. Despite being a trained pharmacist and running three different businesses plus hosting fine dining events, Moonira stills cooks every day for her family – including husband Riaz, son Ibrahim and daughter Alisha. And, she’s passionate about reducing food waste.

“It’s such a big problem,” she said.
“And, as well as the huge impact it’s having on our environment, it’s sad to think so much food is wasted when some people don’t have anything at all.”
To cut down on the food she throws away each week, Moonira tries to avoid supermarkets. “I try my very best to shop local,” she added. “I use shops that sell loose foods. “Not only can I buy just enough of what I need, I can cut down on plastics and packaging and also support local businesses.”
Moonira, who scooped Woman of the Year at the 2018 Fusion Awards, also plans the meals she’s going to cook and makes sure she buys the right amount of ingredients that she needs. “If there ever is any left over, we use it for lunches the next day,” she said.

“And, if I make a big batch of curry, then I’ll freeze it in case I’m ill or find that I’m really busy.” Moonira also chops her fresh herbs and mixes them with oil to freeze them. “I don’t tend to use the coriander all in one go and it doesn’t always last very long so I’ll make sure I freeze it rather than having to go out and buy more,” she said. “I also freeze my stocks using an ice cube tray and just pop them out when I need them.”

Sharing her top tips, Moonira added: “People can often feel overwhelmed at the thought of preparing good meals from scratch, but the main thing is to overcome that fear.

“To me, cooking is all about experimenting. “If you open your fridge, there’ll be ingredients in there that can be thrown together and will create a really good, hearty dish which is full of goodness. “You don’t need a recipe either – you can rely on your senses – what things look like, what they smell like, what they feel like too – although I do suspect that’s the scientist in me!” “Be adventurous,” she added. “Cooking fresh foods has so many benefits compared to relying on ready meals. “Importantly, it can cost very little. “You can chop veg and throw it into a pot with pasta and it’s a really healthy meal that is delicious and packed full of fibre and vitamins.” Moonira herself admits that she hasn’t always been confident and it was her son, Ibrahim who really pushed her to apply for MasterChef. “I’ve always loved the show,” she said. “I used to watch it all the time with my husband and I used to love putting myself in the contestants’ shoes.

“My son was absolutely adamant that I should apply – he even downloaded the application form and pestered me for a week to fill it in. “I only actually did it to keep him happy; I didn’t really think anything would come of it.” Back home, husband Riaz gives John and Gregg a run for their money and Moonira says he’s her toughest critic.

“He’s really helped me refine my recipes,” she added. “He doesn’t believe in cutting corners and he can tell straight away if I have.” Despite recently taking on a new Post Office in her Granville Road pharmacy, Moonira still dreams of one day owning her own restaurant. “I really enjoy hosting fine dining events,” she said. “I hosted one with Lisa-Goodwin Allen at Northcote and it was a fantastic experience. “I’d love to open my own restaurant – it’s just about finding the right place where I can serve really good, healthy food and provide a great, fine dining experience.”

For now, Moonira is passionate about educating others on food – how they can prepare healthy meals and reduce waste. “For me it’s about small changes making a big difference,” she added. “If we all take just a little bit of time to think about the foods we are buying and the meals we are preparing, it could have a really big impact for our families and our futures.”

Moonira’s top tips:
Understand food labels
Best before: This is about quality and not about food safety. It’ll be ok to eat the food after the ‘best before’ date – it may just not taste its absolute best.
Use-by: This does refer to food safety and the food should not be used after that date. Even if it looks and smells fine, it’s not ok to use!
Plan meals
Spend a bit of time before going shopping to plan ahead for meals you’d like to cook. That way you’ll only buy ingredients you really need – cutting down on waste and cost.
Write a shopping list
Keep a notepad and pencil in your kitchen or start a list on your phone so you know exactly what you need.
If you’re dashing out and don’t have time to write a list, why not take a picture of your fridge so you know what you already have?
Shop local
Try and use shops that sell loose food so you don’t have to buy a whole packet. Also, avoid putting fresh fruit and veg in plastic bags, if possible.
Use leftovers
If you do cook too much, why not use the leftovers for lunch or if you can, freeze them to use at a later date?

Nottingham News

An Ashfield private landlord has been ordered to pay over £12,000 after failing to improve her property to a liveable standard. Nottingham Magistrates’ Court heard, Yvonne Rose of Wigston, Leicestershire had been issued a notice in November 2016 requiring her to make external improvements to the property and another in February 2017 requiring works to be carried out to fix the serious hazards within the property.
The property was initially brought to the Council’s attention in 2014 following complaints from the tenant. Officers found serious disrepair including missing windows, no heating system, dangerous electrics and no fixed kitchen facilities. Council officers immediately prohibited the use of the property.

Despite officers repeated attempts to discuss the works required to bring the property back into use, it remained in an empty and derelict state.
Following the issue of the notices a further inspection was made in June 2018.

It was deemed, that with the exception of some minor works the property remained in a state of disrepair. In sentencing Yvonne Rose, the magistrate at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court found that she had deliberately failed to comply with the statutory notices.

In view of the time scale of events and the prolonged duration of broken promises, they found that the harm to the amenity of the community was considerable and had increased over time.

A fine of £8250 was imposed on Rose and she was ordered to pay £3957.32 to Ashfield District Council after pleading guilty. Paul Parkinson, Director of Housing & Assets at Ashfield District Council says “We have extended the powers open to our enforcement teams and this result shows the Council’s commitment in bringing rogue landlords to justice. This outcome should act as warning to all rogue landlords in the district that poor and squalid housing is not acceptable and we will use all means at our disposal to enforce the law including, fines, courts and prosecutions.”

Nottingham News

A tattoo parlour has become the first business of its kind in Rushcliffe to be registered with a countywide hygiene rating, achieving the top score of five stars. Vellum Tattoo in West Bridgford has joined The Hygiene Accreditation Scheme (HAS), a voluntary initiative put in place to improve and maintain hygiene and safety standards within premises offering tattooing, semi-permanent make-up and cosmetic body piercing treatments across Nottinghamshire.

Operated in a similar way to the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme for food outlets, businesses that sign up to the scheme are visited by Environmental Health Officers. A score is then generated on factors such as safety and cleanliness including hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfection of the studio and the correct cleaning and sterilization of instruments.
The six-point system will then rate businesses from zero – urgent improvement required, to five – excellent. Customers can view which businesses have been inspected and rated by checking the window sticker in premises’ windows or by visiting https://bit.ly/2IcacmC.
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Executive Manager for Neighbourhoods Dave Banks presented Jai Gilchrist, owner of Vellum Tattoo, with the window sticker that highlights their score.

He said: “It is great that Vellum has achieved a five star rating, giving customers further confidence that the business operates safely and meets high standards of safety and cleanliness. “Hygiene within the tattoo and body-piercing industry is of paramount importance, where poor practices can cause severe illness or permanent damage to customers.
“We would urge other businesses in Rushcliffe that offer similar services to join the scheme to give their customers peace of mind they too operate with high levels of hygiene standards and also give themselves a commercial advantage.”

Businesses participating in the scheme are required to follow rules devised using nationally recognised guidance, including the Guidance Toolkit produced by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.
Jai said: “Our customer’s safety is very important to us so we are delighted that we have achieved this accreditation with such a high rating.
“Customers can be even further assured that we operate in a clean and hygienic environment.”

The Scheme is being co-ordinated by Environmental Health teams within local authorities across the county who are responsible for the registration of tattoo, body piercing and beauty treatment businesses and is carried out in addition to routine inspections. Outlets can join the scheme for £120 for an initial inspection and gain a re-inspection and re-rating for £60 by visiting https://bit.ly/2IcacmC.

Nottingham News

A partnership between the Council and the Bassetlaw Action Centre will help hundreds of elderly and vulnerable residents to stay in their own homes and make their daily lives safer thanks to Assistive Technology.
Assistive Technology equipment includes items such as anti-trip cable mats, remote control light switches, automatic pill dispensers and daily living computers that give the user prompts and reminders – for example, when the user should take medication, doctor’s appointments, or if they have any arrangements for that day.

The equipment can also make daily life safer and help to prevent falls in the home, provide reassurance and support for the user and in turn relieve a little pressure on the NHS, the adult care system and local doctors.
More than £203,000 from the Council’s ‘Better Care Fund’ has been used to purchase the Assistive Technology that will be distributed to vulnerable and elderly people across the district through the Bassetlaw Action Centre, via its network of partners. Cllr Steve Scotthorne, Cabinet Member for Housing at Bassetlaw District Council, said:

“I’m thrilled that we’ll be working closely with the Bassetlaw Action Centre to really make a difference to people’s daily lives. “Preventative action and low level support like this is just a small intervention we can make that will enable someone to remain in their home, rather than the prospect being moved into alternative accommodation.”

“It will also give us the opportunity to relieve some of the pressure on our colleagues in the NHS and Adult Social Care sector by helping to reduce accidents in the home and get people back into the community through social prescribing. Lynn Tupling, Chief Executive of Bassetlaw Action Centre, said: “We are here to promote the independence of older and vulnerable people and this partnership will give residents across all tenure a lot more control of their wellbeing and future living arrangements.
“People are often reluctant to ask for help because it may mean that they have a fear of not be able to stay in their own home. So Assistive Technology can have a really big and positive impact.

“We work with a range of partners to identify residents who are eligible for support. If you feel that you could benefit from Assistive Technology, or know of someone who’s life would be improved by this equipment, please contact us.”

To contact Bassetlaw Action Centre, you can call them on 01777 709650, visit their Retford Offices between 9am and 1pm, Monday to Friday or visit the website at www.bassetlawactioncentre.org.uk

Nottingham News

Broxtowe Borough Council’s Construction partner, United Living has been awarded a Silver National Site Award by the Considerate Constructors Scheme for their work carried out on the Council’s housing stock. The Considerate Constructors Scheme is a national initiative set up by the construction industry to improve its image. In particular, the judges commended the high standards reached in the categories of care about appearance, respect the community, protect the environment, secure everyone’s safety and value their workforce.

These prestigious awards are only presented to the top performing sites inspected by the Considerate Constructors Monitors and are designed to recognise and reward those who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to improving the image of construction and achieving exemplary standards against the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice. Richard Baker, Business Unit Director United Living: “Congratulations to the Broxtowe site team for their Silver Considerate Constructor award; a true team effort with Broxtowe Borough Council to surpass last years’ Bronze award. Exceptionally well done to the whole team for the achievement of raising the bar even further.”

Broxtowe Borough Council is dedicated to ensuring all of its homes meet the Government’s Decent Homes Standard, as well as its own Broxtowe Standard. Modernisation works are carried out regularly to keep properties in good condition to ensure all residents have a quality home to live in. Capital Works
Capitalworks@broxtowe.gov.uk. tel: 0115 917 3636

Nottingham News

Nottingham City Council has narrowed the gender pay gap so that on average there is now no difference between what middle-earning men and women working for the authority are paid. The council has brought in changes to its pay structure that have helped to bring about the improvements.

Across the whole council, women on average earn just under 97p for every pound earned by a male colleague – a mean average pay gap of 3.1%. This is an improvement on last year when the gap stood at 4.2%. Meanwhile for middle earners, men and women are now paid the same – closing a gap of 2.6% last year. The council has introduced terms and conditions and simplified its pay structure which enables employees to move to the top of their grade within two years of employment. The council operates a number of family friendly policies for staff, including childcare vouchers and flexible working arrange-ments, as well as carrying out training and development programmes around unconscious bias and recruitment procedures to ensure opportunities and processes are fair.

The latest report on the gender pay gap is a snapshot of pay from 31 March 2018, when the gender split at the council was 40% male and 60% female. The council is continuing to improve workforce planning to encourage increasing the numbers of women in senior roles, along with further development of existing coaching and mentoring schemes. The council’s Assistant Chief Executive, Candida Brudenell, said:

“We fully support gender pay reporting as it provides transparency on pay and encourages employers to act faster to close the gap. We already have polices in place which we’re pleased are helping to narrow the gap, and we will look at other ways to further close that gap. We need to ensure everyone who works for us has the same opportunities to progress in their career.

“Nottingham City Council is committed to the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment for our employees. Our workforce is the greatest asset we have for improving the lives of Nottingham people and it’s our aim to ensure that all employees have the skills, tools and confidence to do their jobs well.”

Lancashire News

If you’re in the market for handmade jewellery, homewares, one-off items of fashion and affordable art – the National Festival Making is just the place for you. The free two-day event, sponsored by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, is set to return in June and will once again boast its very own Maker’s Market.

Set in King George’s Hall, visitors will be able to snap up everything from custard cream cushions to black pepper candles and ‘rock and roll’ jewellery made from old guitar strings. More than 50 indie traders will be displaying their wares as well as hosting special workshops – including demonstrations on block and screen printing, willow weaving and yupo paper painting.

Lauren Zawadzki, Co-Director of The National Festival of Making, said:
The Maker’s Market is a popular port of call for festival visitors, who come to Blackburn in growing numbers from around the country to search out one-off making experiences as well as something special to take home at the end of the weekend.

There’s an emphasis on bringing specifically handmade products and specialist skills to wider attention, as well as recognising and supporting the spirit and hard work of independent, small businesses and the 2019 line-up is no different. Festival organisers have teamed up with market curators, Hopeful and Glorious to attract many of the UK’s most exciting independent makers to showcase their products over June 15 and 16. Top names include Manchester’s InkFlo Store, Posner and Posner, String Effects, The Mountain and Me, Uzma Padia, Cushii and The Old Man and Magpie.

Heather Chapman-Fox of Hopeful and Glorious, said: The 2019 National Festival of Making Maker’s Market has been one of the most exciting to assemble out of all of the three years to date, with so many high-quality, attention-grabbing artists and designers taking up the opportunity of meeting the festival’s enthusiastic visitors.

It’s a genuine two-way exchange, not only of beautiful, handmade products, but of curiosity, knowledge and conversation between traders and visitors of all ages and backgrounds. More than 40,000 people turned out in 2018 to the Festival with more than 10,000 of those taking part in workshop sessions right across the town centre.

The event, now in its third year, scooped Best Non-Music Festival at the UK Festival Awards as well as Visit Lancashire’s Large Event of the Year.
For more information, visit: FestivalofMaking.co.uk

Lancashire News

Young people from different parts of the borough spent the weekend together on a residential aimed at exploring what they have in common and making plans to work together. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Young People’s Services organised and delivered the weekend residential which took 18 young men and women to Coldwell Activity Centre near Burnley for a variety of outdoor team-building activities and workshops.

Representing the Council’s Young People’s Service, BRFC Trust, Blackburn Youthzone, IMO and One Voice Blackburn, the young people also took part in youth work curriculum sessions on democracy and workshops exploring identity.

The young people were nominated by their organisations to represent them at the two night residential which had a focus on social integration.
Blackburn with Darwen is one of only five areas nationally that are working closely with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government to explore innovative ways of building stronger communities.
Jayne Ivory, Director of Children’s Services at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said:

Blackburn with Darwen has one of the youngest populations in Europe, with one in four people under the age of 15. This presents us with a fantastic opportunity in terms of how we approach the borough’s integration challenges. Coming together as a group and working together, as these young people have begun to do, is a great way to change perceptions and attitudes to people from different backgrounds to our own. It’s heartening to hear these young people say that they started the weekend as strangers, but ended it as friends. I hope they’ll enjoy continuing to work together.

Shannon represented Blackburn Rovers FC Community Trust at the residential weekend. She said: I enjoyed the weekend because it was really good to meet other people that have similar interests, and to also meet people from other organisations and get to know their opinions on what’s going on in Blackburn with Darwen.
Blackburn with Darwen Youth MP Uday Akram took part in the residential.

He said: The weekend really brought us together, different people from different backgrounds, giving their opinions. And we can really see that everyone does want integration to happen. During the residential weekend, young people were tasked with putting forward suggestions for a Great Get Together event for others in their age group. The Great Get Together, a national campaign in memory of murdered Batley & Spen MP Jo Cox, aims to bring people together to celebrate what they have in common. Events this year will be held on the third weekend in June. Working in four groups, the young people came up with a wide variety of ideas. They will now work together to develop their ideas and film a video pitch.

The group with the winning pitch will receive funding from the Our Community, Our Future social integration programme to stage their Great Get Together in the summer.
For more information about Blackburn with Darwen’s Our Community, Our Future social integration programme, watch this short video.
https://vimeo.com/304607951/2cbb52c07b