I’m so pleased that people are coming forward to join our Community Champions programme to help make a difference in our city. Community Champions are part of a network of volunteers who promote good health and wellbeing – they are people who understand how their local communities work and what is important to them. You do not need any special skills or experience to become a Community Champion – we’ll make sure you get all of the training and support you need. You can read more about becoming a Community Champion here.

To celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, many community groups have arranged activities. These free events are a mixture of community picnics and craft activities, alongside organised fun and games. Venues include King Edward Park, Queen’s Recreation Ground, Heathfield Park, Clifton Central Park and Stockhill Park. On Thursday 2 June, as part of a chain of Queen’s Platinum Jubilee beacons, some Nottingham neighbourhoods will light their beacons, joining thousands of others throughout the nations and regions of the UK and across the Commonwealth. Beacons will be lit at 9.45pm at Woodthorpe Park, Clifton Flower Park, and Green's Windmill.

There will also be a special exhibition entitled 70 Glorious Years – The Queen in Nottingham, in Old Market Square. This is a collection of 22 images, celebrating the Queen’s visits to Nottingham over the last 70 years from the Coronation tour in 1955 through to her most recent visit for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Read more

Do you know what your risk of developing type 2 diabetes is, and did you know there are ways to reduce your risk?  This week is Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week and the experts from Diabetes UK will be in several of our libraries throughout the week to answer your questions on reducing your risk as well as living well if you have diabetes. Diabetes doesn’t only have implications on ability to process food but can also lead to complications with eyesight and circulation so prevention and good management is key.

Details of days and times here: https://www.nottinghamcitylibraries.co.uk/diabetespreventionweek/

It was a pleasure to see Sikhs in Nottingham celebrate Vaisakhi with a colourful procession called Nagar Kirtan yesterday. The procession, which has taken place in the city for more than 30 years, returned on Sunday after a Covid-induced three-year gap. People took to the streets to celebrate the formation of the Khalsa Panth, faith and identity.

Good luck to Notts County this evening as they take on Grimsby Town at Meadow Lane in the National League quarter-final play-off.

It’s been a great season with both our Nottingham clubs doing so well in their respective divisions, and we wish Head Coach Ian Burchnall, his staff and players all the very best as they take another step back to the Football League.