The nights are drawing in and there's a slight chill in the air which can mean only one thing ? the return of Nottingham?s Goose Fair. It will be back at the Forest Recreation Ground from Friday 29 September to Sunday 8 October.

With more than 250 rides and attractions and thrills aplenty for all ages, Goose Fair is one of the largest travelling funfairs in Europe and has been staged annually in Nottingham since at least 1284.

New rides this year include the TipTop and Xcelerator, as well as lots of returning favourites such as Reverse Bungee, Ice Jet Matterhorn, Star Flyer, The Skid, Gallopers, Cake Walk and two giant wheels. You can also enjoy traditional fairground cuisine like mushy peas and Cock-on-a-Stick, as well as a range of world food from Greek and Caribbean to Punjabi.

Money-off ride e-vouchers are now available to download for just ?1, allowing you to save 50p on participating rides and attractions from Monday to Friday (not valid on Saturday or Sunday). Vouchers can also be found in special editions of the Nottingham Post, Derby Telegraph and other regional newspapers soon.

Read more and download e-vouchers here?

I?m really pleased that a group of volunteers, who came together to provide help and advice to local communities during the pandemic, are continuing to improve Nottingham?s health and wellbeing.

Supported by the City Council and local NHS services, the Health and Wellbeing Community Champions are trusted voices from Nottingham?s diverse community, who work in their local neighbourhoods to signpost people to advice and support on health matters ? as well as promoting ways to improve general wellbeing.

Created in 2021 to support the Covid vaccination programme, they continue to encourage and support residents improve their quality of life and general health and wellbeing. They also work with the City Council to help build understanding of health issues and concerns within the city.

Since the beginning of the program, the champions have facilitated and supported more than 300 community health and wellbeing events and carried out a number of community engagement projects.

Volunteering to be a Champion can be very rewarding, and you can help make a positive difference to people?s? lives. You don?t need any special skills or experience, just a commitment to make a different in your community.

Anyone wanting to find out more about Nottingham?s Health and Wellbeing Champions or to express interest in becoming Community Champion volunteer, can visit the website

It was great to hear at Executive Board this afternoon that the Council?s museums service has been awarded a ?1.4m grant to help fund its work over the next three years.

The ?1,425,325 National Portfolio Organisation award has come from Arts Council England and covers the period of 2023 to 2026 ? close to three-quarters of the money will be spent on staff salaries to deliver the department?s business plan. The remainder is put aside to fund the application process for new grants which the Council can bid for.

It?s really important because without the ?1.4m, our museums service would have had to find an annual saving of ?474,775 between now and 2026.

The latest grant will be spent on projects including:

• The Wollaton Hall Transformation:?Improving the galleries, Walled Garden and park
• Crafted In Clay exhibition at Newstead Abbey:?A studio pottery display around the house showcasing work by contemporary artists from diverse backgrounds
• Go Create:?Free membership for children and young people from under-represented communities aged between 14 and 24 years to participate in weekly cultural, creative and consultation on-site activities
• Creative Science:?Ecology school sessions for primary pupils delivered in partnership with schools, universities, The Natural History Museum in London and wildlife organisations
• Support for a range of annual community festivals at museum sites
• Planning for next year?s bicentenary celebrations to mark the death of Lord Byron in 1824

Read more here?