As part of Dementia Action week (16-22 May), Denim for Dementia day saw many County Council colleagues jumping into their jeans and making a donation to the Alzheimer’s Society, a very worthy cause, raising £419.50 from the Just Giving pages and £10,386.50 from Click Nottingham giving the grand total of  £10,806.

We also saw 27 people attend a Dementia Friends information session during the week delivered by one of our Dementia Ambassadors in the Communities Team.

Thank you to all those who and a huge thank you to everyone who dug out their best denim for the day.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry has launched the Make Notts Safe Community Chest which offers funding awards of up to £5,000 to community groups who help transform lives and Make Notts Safe.

The Community Chest is aimed at community-based organisations, and parish councils, to support projects that help meet the Police and Crime Commissioner’s priorities in the Make Notts Safe Plan. These priorities are:

• preventing crime and protecting people from harm
• responding efficiently and effectively to local needs
• supporting victims, survivors, witnesses and communities.

24 July (24/7) is Samaritans Awareness Day, because we’re here to listen 24/7.

On this date and throughout July, we'll be running our awareness-raising campaign Talk to Us, to remind people that we’re here for anyone who needs someone to listen.

Every year in July, Samaritans branches in the UK and Republic of Ireland hold local events to raise awareness that Samaritans are here to listen to anyone who's struggling to cope, at any time of the day or night.

Find out what your local branch is doing during Talk To Us month

Prevent is one element of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST. The aim of CONTEST is to reduce the risk to the United Kingdom, its citizens, and its interests overseas from terrorism, so that people can go about their lives freely and with confidence.

CONTEST has four work strands:

Pursue: to stop terrorist attacks

Prevent: to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism

Protect: to strengthen our protection against a terrorist attack

Prepare: to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack

Terrorism has a devastating impact on victims, their families and communities. Many lives have been lost to terrorist attacks in the UK, and even more people have been injured.

Prevent is a national safeguarding programme that supports people who are at risk of becoming involved with terrorism through radicalisation.

If you know someone that is feeling lonely or isolated do you know how to help them feel more connected?

There are hundreds of places to go and people to meet across Nottinghamshire.  Sometimes by trying something once or twice they can see if it suits?

There is a group of people who are involved in the Tackling Loneliness Collaborative (TLC) throughout Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. They are looking at what is available to do across our area and ways to reduce people feeling isolated. If you have an interest in tackling this issue you could join and have your say - if you wanted to. The Collaborative includes a mix of people from different areas and backgrounds such as health, social care, voluntary and community organisations, volunteers and local communities. There are monthly online meetings to discuss how to create social connections, map what is available and look at ways to work together.  People bring together their views and information.  Members of the group are growing in number and we are able to share lots of information that’s beneficial.

So where can you find information? Your local County Council or City Council, Community and Voluntary Services, through your GP who can link you to support and online resources too.  Check out Notts Help Yourself and Ask Lion  for useful county and city information.

To find out more about the Tackling Loneliness Collaborative (TLC) contact Kirsty, on 01909 476118, call/text 07706 347518 or email using the button below.

Did you know that only 5% of scams are reported and that around 53% of people over the age of 65 have been targeted by scams?

It is estimated that the average scam victim has lost around £3,000. If only there was a way to take a stand against scams? 

Well, there is and it's called Friends Against Scams, which is a national trading standards initiative offering online learning on the types of scams and how to spot and support a victim. This training is FREE and is open to everyone!

If you would like to become a Friend Against Scams, why not complete the short awareness session?

If you are concerned about a friend or relative, you can find out more about spotting and preventing scams in the 'Are you or your loved ones being targeted by scams' leaflet

Nottinghamshire County Council are recruiting 3 Local Area Coordinators (LAC’s) in Rushcliffe, Gedling and Bassetlaw  Districts, who are passionate about their local community and practically supporting people’s independence. 

Local Area Coordination builds connections, walking alongside residents, developing inclusive, self-supporting communities.

Being a Local Area Coordinator means being an accessible point of community contact, building long-term relationships to guide people, encouraging opportunities for involvement in local networks. They also contribute to the evidence of how the approach supports transformative change, e.g. analysing data, preparing written reports and delivering presentations. Use the buttons below to find out more.

A new funding scheme aimed at voluntary and community groups which are  tirelessly helping  Ukrainian people settle into the county  is due to be launched later this month.

Eligible groups are due to be able to apply for funds of up to £5,000 on a rolling basis,  to continue to help provide advice and support including  hosting special community events, providing access to translation services and language classes  and  promoting  health and well-being.

Watch out for further details on how to apply – as we are unable to take applications in advance of the scheme going live, which is due from Monday 18 July.

The Community Repaint Nottinghamshire scheme recently celebrated 10 years of operation. Since the scheme started in our area it has redistributed over 69,000 litres of paint to the local community - that’s enough to repaint Trent Bridge seven times! This has coloured the lives of over 110,000 people in the Nottinghamshire County Council area and equates to a saving of 186,000kg CO2e - that’s the same as a petrol car driving around the entire circumference of the Earth 27 times.