It was great to hear the rousing round of applause last night across Nottingham celebrating and thanking our carers. Thank you to everyone who took part, I know it is very much appreciated by those working on the frontline.?

I?m pleased to say that today we have paid out over ?7 million in grant payments to small businesses, with more set to land in bank accounts throughout next week. The pandemic is having a staggering impact nationally and we know local businesses are being particularly affected. Small businesses are a huge part of the character of our city and they provide tens of thousands of people in our city with jobs, livelihoods and opportunities. The grant payments are from funding provided by Central Government and will hopefully help small businesses through this period so they can get back to business as usual once this period has passed. To pay grants, it is vital that those who have not already submitted an e-form for their grant do so as soon as possible to provide them with the support they are entitled to.?Businesses who have filled in the online e-form will receive their grant allocation shortly, and those who have not filled this in yet have been strongly urged to do so here via the City Council website.

It?s also a worrying time for households across the city, not only for our own and our loved ones? health, but also personal finances. Unfortunately, many people are finding themselves made redundant from work. Again, there is a lot of information out there to help people and it can feel overwhelming. Our web page Support to find work, claim benefits or get help has been put together to help Nottingham people find what they need to know and where to go for help and support.

There are still many companies out there taking on new workers, Nottingham Jobs can help you find local opportunities. The team are there to offer specialist support to both job seekers and employers. You can also contact them on 0115 876 4508.

Plus we are still urgently recruiting for care workers, available here. website.

Yesterday, the Government extended the lockdown for at least another three weeks. It is vitally important that we continue to observe Government instructions to stay at home and follow social distancing guidelines ? I know it has been tough but staying at home really does save lives so thank you to all of you who continue to observe this.

I want to thank you for taking the right approach and for the part you are playing in the fight against the virus and protecting the NHS and other frontline services. The people of Nottingham have overwhelmingly done the right thing, with very few people in our streets and parks. Please remember to stay at home and:

• Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
• If you go out, stay two metres (six feet) away from other people at all times
• Wash your hands as soon as you get home.

I am pleased to say that we have produced a special edition of the Arrow which will be dropping through doors across the city in the coming days. I know that a great number of people will be keeping tabs on our online resources, but for many residents in our communities, receiving a copy of the Arrow through the door is also vitally important. That is why we have produced an additional copy to keep residents informed of the things that matter most at times like these. An online version is also available here.