Green-fingered residents looking forward to the end of winter can get garden waste collected by Erewash council over the coming year for just £25 for the first bin – but need to grab the offer before a spring deadline.

The authority has again launched an “early bird” deal for the fortnightly brown collections. But you need to renew or sign up before 31 March – so act NOW.

Getting your brown bin emptied is a convenient way to avoid the hassle of carting garden waste to the tip. It also spares you having to clean your car out afterwards. The garden waste service paused over the winter but local people are being reminded it resumes in February – meaning those who subscribed to it last year will still get up to four collections before needing to sign up again for 2025.

The next subscription period runs from 1 April to 31 March 2026. The full price, for one brown bin to be emptied from April, will be £37.

Erewash was one of a dwindling number of councils that still collected garden waste for free until funding cuts forced it to reluctantly bring in a charge last year. We are continuing to keep the fee well below the national average of over £50. 

For more information on Erewash’s garden waste service – including an early bird offer of £18.75 to get additional brown bins emptied – visit Garden Waste Collections

The simplest way to sign up for the first time or to renew is online via the council's website -- or by hitting the button below. You can also get the discounted rate by phoning our Customer Services Team on 0115 907 2244 – or by popping into town hall receptions during opening hours.

A young woman with a rare condition that has led to her being hospitalised more than 250 times with “life-threatening episodes” has won a top local honour after defying the illness to become an inspirational gymnast.

Natasha Coates, 29, from Ilkeston, was 18 when she was diagnosed with mast cell activation syndrome – an immune system condition. She is prone to severe allergic reactions – sometimes just from perspiring or even LAUGHING. It has not stopped her becoming an elite disability gymnast – winning 27 British titles and 42 medals.

Natasha can now count an Active Lives Erewash award among her honours following an annual Oscars-style ceremony staged by the borough council. It saw accolades handed out in eight categories. This year’s event took place at the New Manor Ground home of Ilkeston Town FC.

Natasha was nominated for the Legacy Leisure Adversity Award by Hannah Gibbs, of Erewash Valley Gymnastics Club, who described her as "an inspiration to all of us". Hannah added: “Tasha's story is unlike anyone else's and she has a phenomenal outlook on life.”

There were two winners this year of the Legacy Leisure Adversity Award – after a second Ilkeston resident also wowed judges.

Steve Webster, 55, was diagnosed with a rare spinal condition in 2004 and suffers from FND – functional neurological disorder. Its painful symptoms include seizures and paralysis. Most of the time he is in a wheelchair – and he has an implant that feeds drugs into his spinal cord.

There was no support group for sufferers so he set up his own – a nationwide charity called FND Dimensions that he raises money for himself by staging sponsored swims.

Steve's latest feat was covering 100 miles by swimming lengths of a pool. It brought in £4,400. Fay Stainsby, who nominated him, said: “He encourages all of the people he supports to keep fit and is a great inspiration to them all.”

Steve had a successful career working in the environmental sector before falling ill. He was keen on racket sports and basketball – and ran the London Marathon in 1994 and 1997. He said of defying his illness by taking to the pool to raise money: “I can only use my arms when I swim, as kicking brings on uncontrollable spasms. My events have been featured on TV, radio, press and also had the support from Adam Peaty, Mark Foster and Ross Davenport.”

Accolades were also handed out in a string of other categories at the Active Lives Erewash event. Young Ilkeston football referee Ashton Milner – pictured – won the Active Young Persons Award. He is just 15 but has officiated at more than 100 grassroots football games and hopes to one day make it to the Premier League.

The Active Leader Award went to Rachel Argent for her dedication to Long Eaton Parkrun, where she is event director. She is a wife and mother who has a full-time job.

Ian Chant, who nominated her, said: “She has been responsible for the event since June 2015 and in that time we have had 155,255 finishers.”

Maggie Tillson won the Active Volunteer Award for organising the group Ilkeston Cycle for Health. The Active Participant Award went to Emma Bamford, of Cotmanhay. The former carer was housebound with a host of conditions until joining a Let’s Live Well With Pain course in a bid to turn her life around. That led to her working with a personal trainer under a scheme called Exercise by Referral. Now Emma has recovered enough to get a part-time job.

The Active Group Award went to Ilkeston Community Boxing Club, while the Active Project Award was won by Brackenfield SEND School in Long Eaton for boosting sports such as yoga, cricket and cycling.

A joint winner of the Special Recognition Award was the council’s own Paula Hall, who works helping residents to get active and who was saluted for her long service. She shared the accolade with 82-year-old Paul Booth, who is celebrating 60 years of coaching basketball in and around Ilkeston.

ACTIVE LIVES EREWASH AWARDS RUNNERS-UP: Active Leader Award – Reece Davies; Active Volunteer Award – Kerry Bowley; Active Participant Award – Steve Wright; Active Young Persons Award – Joe Peverley; Active Group Award – Long Eaton Running Club; Active Project Award – Girls Football at Parkside High; Special Recognition Award – Kath Kearns.

Signs will be going up on a major road through an Erewash town after 98 per cent of residents backed a borough council crackdown on car show-offs who use the dual carriageway as a stunt track where they perform "donuts" at roundabouts.

The warnings – similar to the one pictured in London's Knightsbridge – will declare that Ilkeston's Chalons Way is now subject to a Public Spaces Protection Order that also applies to the surrounding area. 

It means antisocial drivers like those who secretly arrange late-night "car meets" in front of spectators face £100 instant fines – rising to £1,000 if the case goes to court.

Police will mainly be responsible for enforcement and have backed the measure as an extra weapon in their armoury. They can already seize vehicles being driven anti-socially but first need to give a roadside warning – meaning culprits who zoom off can escape. Thanks to the PSPO the registered keepers of vehicles will be issued with fines based on police video evidence or footage taken by members of the public.

Local authorities need to consult residents about imposing a PSPO. Almost 350 gave their views in our online survey.

Visit our exciting Let's Talk Erewash site to take part in other council surveys.

Residents still have until Tuesday 4 February to give us feedback on our proposed spending budget – while a consultation about the planned £10million revamp of Long Eaton Town Centre is open until Sunday 16 February. There is also a business survey about trade waste that ends on Sunday 9 February. Just click the button below.

A top Cabinet minister kicked off a nationwide "meet the people" tour with a visit to Erewash – where he heaped praise on the borough council over new affordable housing. MP Darren Jones – who as Chief Secretary to the Treasury is effectively No2 to Chancellor Rachel Reeves – said after seeing a £10million development in Long Eaton: “I’ve heard brilliant stories today from residents.”

The 46 new affordable homes at Oakleys Road are nearing completion where the Oaklea lace mill once stood. EMH and developer MyPad have worked closely with Erewash Borough Council to get them built. The minister reiterated a pledge to encourage the construction of 1.5million homes in the next five years as he said: “The reason for the visit today is to see what more the Government can do.

“This is the kind of partnership we want to see across the country. It is a great example locally of getting these houses built quickly.”

Council leader James Dawson and Erewash MP Adam Thompson joined him as he inspected the mix of one, two, three and four-bed homes. Twenty-nine are for social rent. The rest are for shared ownership. The minister is pictured holding an umbrella. Cllr Dawson is seen standing between the borough's Deputy Leader Cllr Becca Everett and Erewash's MP.

Mr Jones later took part in a round table meeting attended by housing experts at Long Eaton Town Hall. Cllr Dawson said: “It was a very constructive meeting. It is useful to have these discussions with ministers – and to take them out into the local area to see the issues we are talking about.”

Lots more news coming soon about affordable housing in the borough. Follow Erewash Borough Council on Facebook and X– and keep checking our website:

An exhibition is being staged in tribute to the inspirational Erewash schoolmaster who TV’s Robert Lindsay credits with spurring his acting career.

John ‘Pop’ Lally, who died in 1994 aged 80, was an art teacher when Ilkeston’s most famous son attended Gladstone Boys’ School. Mr Lally, who ran a theatre club at the secondary modern, encouraged Lindsay, pictured, to go to acting college. Mr Lally later became headmaster – and after his retirement helped found the borough’s Erewash Museum, where a gallery bears his name. More than 15 of his paintings have gone on show there until 20 March – and the museum in Ilkeston will be running half-term art and craft activities inspired by his work.

As well as hosting the Lally exhibition the museum will be inviting families to take part in a treasure hunt for magical objects during half-term – as a fantastical children's story is brought to life. The event – based on Ruth Lauren's book Tourmaline and the Museum of Marvels – runs from Wednesday 19 February to Saturday 22. The story is about a sassy young heroine with wondrous powers.

The award-winning Erewash Museum near Ilkeston's Market Place is open from 11am to 4pm – normally on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Entry is free – with refreshments available at its Dalby House Cafe.

'Thankfully he believed in me' says Citizen Smith star

Acting legend Robert Lindsay has told how meeting teacher John Lally – pictured – was a “milestone” in his life.

The star of TV's Sherwood, who shot to fame in 1970s sitcom Citizen Smith, said: “He formed a wonderful thing called The Grand Order of Thespians – a bit like the Dead Poets' Society. It was a most unusual idea in a school where the main preoccupation was smoking behind the bike sheds.”

Mr Lally would organise performances – allowing Lindsay’s talents to shine. Lindsay said: “Thankfully, he believed in me – as did my parents. I'd been told by my careers advisors and maths teachers that I'd never be employable.”

It was Mr Lally who encouraged Lindsay to apply to Clarendon College in Nottingham, which had a drama course. The teacher even made him deliver his audition piece – “Once more unto the breach, dear friends” from Henry V – in front of the entire school. The performance was interrupted by the school bell – but Mr Lally told the boys to stay put and keep listening.

Lindsay, now 75, recalled the reaction when his speech ended. In an interview last year with The Guardian he said: “One of my close mates happened to be called Harry Wall, and he went: ‘Yeah!' And then the whole school cheered and clapped, and I thought: ‘Yes, this is it. This is what it’s about’.”

If you are involved in a community group that benefits Erewash residents there is still time to apply for a "fast-funding" grant of up to £1,500 from the council – but hurry!

The deadline is 16 March but our message is the sooner the better. The government money was secured by the council as part of what is called the Shared Prosperity Fund – and has to be distributed before the start of April.

It has given a much-need boost to dozens of local good causes. The latest include Our Crafty Place – an Ilkeston community interest company that runs workshops for residents that range from embroidery to glass art. It got £1,481 towards the cost of public liability insurance.

Meanwhile Spiral Arts received £1,500 to pay for creative workshops including sessions held to benefit the mental health work of Long Eaton Self Help Group. These have been hosted at St John's Church in Canal Street – where participants learned crafts such as making artificial flowers, pictured. Find out how to apply for a grant by clicking the button.