Welcome to Broxtowe Enews, brought to you by the Liberal Democrats and edited by David Watts, on behalf of the Lib-Dems in Broxtowe. Many apologies that there wasn’t an edition last week, unfortunately work commitments got in the way.

1. More improvements taking place on Toton Fields Nature Reserve next week.
The Friends of Toton Fields, in collaboration with Broxtowe Borough Council, has secured a grant to make improvements to the Nature Reserve. Following the thinning of some trees in the woods last week, the next element is to create a Wildflower Meadow on the Open Space at the top of Banks Road in Toton. This meadow will be bigger than the previous wildflower border and will be marked out to prevent future damage from inadvertent mowing. The Friends will to sow the new Meadow next Weds 22nd from 1pm. They need as many volunteers as possible to help seed the new Meadow. So, if you are available, please go along and help create this great new area on the reserve.

2. Nominate The Best Of Broxtowe Borough
Do you know someone who goes the extra mile for the local community in Broxtowe? Do you get service with a smile at your favourite local business? Local people are being urged to give their local heroes the recognition they deserve by nominating them for a Best of Broxtowe Borough Award. The awards, which have been organised by Broxtowe Borough Council in conjunction with The Nottingham Post are a unique opportunity to celebrate everything that is great about the borough. There are 12 different categories for the awards:
• Local Hero Award – An individual who has made a tangible difference to life in the borough – an unsung hero who puts a smile on people’s faces and is committed to the area.
• Young Achiever Award – A young person who has shown major potential – a rising star who is someone to watch in the future.
• Food & Drink Establishment Award – A business that produces or sells fantastic food and drink. The judges will be looking at quality, provenance and presentation and want to hear about the best place for a cuppa, pint, pizza, pie or pastry.
• Sports Personality of the Year – A local team, club or individual who has consistently excelled or defied the odds, putting the borough on the sporting map.
• Enabling the Community Award – A business or organisation that really goes the extra mile to help individuals, groups and community projects or simply enhances life in the area.
• Family Business of the Year – A vibrant business with a family at the heart of its operations, which helps give the borough its special local feel.
• New Business of the Year – A business established since January 2015. The judges will be looking for a brilliant idea that enhances the offer already available in the area.
• Retailer of the Year – A successful retail business of any size – whether independent or part of a chain – which contributes to the mix that makes the borough such a great place to live and shop.
• Small Business of the Year – A business that employs 20 staff or less engaged in any form of trade that helps shape the diverse offer for which the borough has become known.
• Health, Hair & Beauty Retailer of the Year – Honouring all types of hair salons, barbers, treatment centres and beauty businesses which excel at keeping people in the borough looking and feeling good.
• Local Website of the Year – A well-designed community or business website that is easy to use and keeps people in the community informed about what’s happening in the local area or puts the borough in the spotlight.
• Pride of Broxtowe Borough Award – This award will be presented to a nominee that deserves special recognition for the outstanding contribution they have made to the community, chosen by the judges.
Nominations can be made on the Nottingham Post website at www.nottinghampost.com/bestofbroxtoweborough. Closing date is on Friday 5th May 2017. Three finalists will be shortlisted in each category, then invited to a prestigious awards ceremony at the Walled Garden, Beeston Fields Golf Club on Thursday 8th June.

3. Free Buggy Walks at Attenborough Nature Reserve
Free buggy walks are back this spring, giving new parents in Broxtowe a chance to get back into exercise and meet with others in the beautiful surroundings of Attenborough Nature Reserve. Liberty Leisure’s Get Active Team have organised the sessions which take place at Attenborough Nature Reserve from Tuesday 25th April at 10.30am. Just meet at the picnic benches! Being a new parent can be tiring and you may not feel like going on a walk, but it can actually help boost your mood, help your body recover after birth and may help with postnatal depression. Meeting others can improve your mental health and social or isolation fears you may have with a new baby – plus your child will love seeing the birds, ducks, flowers and surroundings Attenborough has to offer. Sessions are completely free of charge. Call the Get Active Team to book on 0115 917 3572. Please wear comfortable clothing and trainers. Please check with your health visitor before you attend and ensure you have had your 6 week postnatal check-up.

4. Yellow Lines on Ilkeston Road?
Nottinghamshire County Council will decide at a meeting next week whether to install double yellow lines on Ilkeston Road and Melbourne Road in Stapleford, around the area where a new junction will be installed for the Field Farm development. The County Council officers have suggested that these may be necessary to ensure that there is proper visibility around the junction.

5. School Crossing Lady
Jean Dawson has retired this week as the school crossing lady at Albany School after 43 years in the job. This is a fantastic records and during that time she has apparently walked 7,332 miles and crossed the road 1.7 million times, the distance from Stapleford to Hawaii. I’d like to add my voice to the many congratulating her this week and wishing her a very long and happy retirement.

6. Care Home Staff
Council tax bills have been landing on peoples mats this week and we will all have found our bills going up significantly. One area where the County Council have announced that they will be spending extra money is to ensure that all the staff in their care homes receive the national living wage (as opposed to the national minimum wage). The living wage is the figure calculated to be necessary to make ends meet and I fully support all council staff being paid at least this amount. In another development this week Nottinghamshire County Council is one of four councils which have begun legal proceedings against the government for failing to provide them with enough money to meet their statutory duties in relation to social care.

7. New Co-Op Store
The Co-operative Society have announced that they are intending to build a new store in Chilwell, on the site of the Double Top public house on Bramcote Lane. They hope to have the new store open in summer 2018 and have submitted an application for planning permission to the borough council.

8. Bramcote Surgery
Congratulations to all the staff at Bramcote Surgery on Hanley Avenue, Bramcote. The Care Quality Commission have this week rated them as an outstanding surgery. The report praised their “consistently positive” care.

9. New School Name
College House Primary School in Chilwell is being renamed. The School is to become The Lanes Primary School. The name change is part of the process of amalgamating the school with Meadow Lane Infants School and was chosen after a consultation with pupils and parents.

10. Bramcote Park Community Cafe
I need to correct a typo in the report on fundraising for Bramcote Hills Community Café that was in the last edition. I think I must have hit the wrong key. It should have said that the appeal had already raised over £1,000. If you would like to donate to the appeal you can still do so at www.bramcoteparkcafe.uk. As well as the fundraising appeal there are a number of other fundraising activities planned, including a dinner and entertainment in Bramcote on 22nd April. Tickets for this cost £25 each and there are still a few available. Please contact me if you would like to attend.

11. Beauvale Photography Group
The newly formed Beauvale Photography Group will be displaying some of their images in Eastwood Town Council officers on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th March. The group will then be holding meetings at the Sun Inn on Thursday evenings, Further details can be obtained by ringing Lesley Sutton on 07970 1978254. I wish them every success in this new venture.

12. Toton Family Fun Day
Tesco in Toton will be running a family fun day at Manor Recreation Ground in Toton on Saturday 15th July from 12-5pm. Bookings for stalls are now being taken and cost £15 each. Stalls can be booked by emailing totoncommunityroom@outlook.com.

As ever thank you for your support for this newsletter. Any feedback is gratefully received.

Best wishes

David
www.davidwatts.org.uk
www.broxtoweliberaldemocrats.org.uk
Follow me on Twitter @davidwatts12.