We know that finding the right resources to help you and your families stay happy and healthy at home is challenging at the moment, and that is why we have launched our StayingHOME online resource which we hope will provide a range of entertaining tools to keep you going. From keeping the kids entertained to keeping well, we?ve pulled together the best we can find to support you and your family during these difficult times. This fantastic resource has been made possible with help from partners across the city, as well as national organisations. This library of resources will keep growing over the weeks and months so please check by regularly. Please visit https://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/stayinghome for more information.

We know that libraries are an incredible resource for providing information, education, and entertainment, but are sadly out of reach when we need them the most during this lockdown. That is why the council has worked hard to launch an online library to support people while they are unable to visit our libraries around the city. Among the many online resources available, are eBooks, eAudio, eMagazines and eReference books so you and your families can continue to read at home. You can find out more at Your Online Library

It can be an uncertain and even worrying time for children, we have found the following downloadable resource to explain the coronavirus pandemic to them. If you are a parent or carer, you could take a look and see if it is something that would be useful for your family: https://nosycrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Coronavirus-A-Book-for-Children.pdf

I?m really pleased to see the launch of the Thank Our Children campaign. This campaign was launched across Nottinghamshire, by HM The Queen?s local representative Sir John Peace, to recognise the huge efforts of schools, children and their families as part of the response to the Covid-19 crisis and to keep people safe. I would encourage all our schools and local families to support this campaign to thank our children for their determination, resilience and motivation to learn and play despite these unusual circumstances.

Your family can take part by downloading a special certificate, which you can then present to your children. If you are sharing your child?s presentation on social media please use the hashtag #ThankOurChildren so we can show the world how amazing Nottingham?s children and young people are.

Find out more here #ThankOurChildren

As Leader of the Council, I have written to the Government to express my concerns about the consequences of not providing adequate financial support for local authorities, particularly at a time of a national crisis. We are committed to supporting the people in our city but the scale of the challenge facing councils makes it clear that adequately supporting local councils during this time is vitally important. That is why yesterday?s announcement of an additional ?9m for Nottingham is welcome and will certainly help, but we know it will not be anything like enough to cover the additional costs we have in areas like homelessness support, adult social care, food parcel distribution and support for people coming out of hospital. I want to reassure Nottingham people that we will continue to lobby Government on behalf of our residents, our fantastic workers and businesses to provide sufficient financial support to cover additional costs throughout this national crisis.