One of our fantastic care workers Dominique has spoken about her fear of having the Covid-19 vaccination before she had it. In the latest in our series of videos about the vaccine, she tells us how nervous she was before her appointment at the Queen?s Medical Centre over the weekend. She goes on to say how easy and painless it turned out to be.

Dominique made the right choice to protect herself and others from this virus. She is part of the priority cohort of health and social care workers to be offered the vaccine. This list of priorities was last week extended down the age groups to people aged over 65. This week, the priority list will be extended to people aged 16-64 with underlying health conditions as well as unpaid carers.

While I welcome the opportunity for more people to be eligible for the vaccine, I must stress that people from the original priority groups still need to come forward for the vaccine. You have not missed your chance. If you are in the over-80s group or the over-75s group, you can still book an appointment. I would urge everybody to continue to help our older citizens to book their vaccination ? especially if their first language is not English. Let?s do all we can to keep Nottingham safe, and together we can play our part in beginning to get our lives back to normal.

More information about the vaccine and booking links for each of the three eligible groups can be found on?the local NHS website here.

Today marks an exciting milestone in our journey towards redeveloping the Broadmarsh shopping centre site and redefining Nottingham?s future, with the announcement that a new independent group of ?experts has been set up to help the city make the most of this incredible opportunity. The panel will bring together experience and expertise to help build an ambitious vision in the heart of Nottingham.

This is one of the largest development spaces in any major European city, lying at the heart of the transformative regeneration already taking place on the Southside of Nottingham. We have said from the very beginning, since the lease for the Broadmarsh Centre was handed back to us, that to make the most of the opportunity here we will need partners and advisors with the best interests of the city at heart. To meet that commitment, we have asked Greg Nugent of The Nottingham Project to lead a group of people which we believe will advise and work in partnership with the council in creating a stunning future for the site.

We have received more than 3,000 responses to our ?Big Conversation? including a range of insightful and ambitious submissions. The newly formed and independent Greater Broadmarsh Advisory Group will now develop a plan based on these insights as well as the input from industry experts. They will also give recommendations to the council of the best delivery method to ensure the vision becomes a reality. A creative vision for the space will be published in Summer 2021. More here.

Keeping the kids entertained during half term can be a challenge at the best of times, made harder during lockdown. But don?t despair ? there are plenty of things to do online that are entertaining, educational and fun.

For example, don't miss the last few days of the Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity - a packed programme of events and activities accessible for all the family. The festival celebrates Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths in a bid to encourage the city?s children to value and enjoy these subject areas, although there is plenty to inspire adults too.? Take a look at their Upcoming Events to see what?s happening over the next few days that will get your families curious. The festival has also compiled a whole range of activities for you to try out at home.

There?s even more ideas for indoor and outdoor activities here.

Our libraries also have lots on offer this February and for the half term. Our library buildings might be temporarily closed, but you can still take out library books via our Click and Collect service. You can request up to 24 books including children?s books, fiction, large print, non-fiction and spoken word from any of the libraries taking part. Find out more Nottingham Libraries Click and Collect.

Our Online Library is available 24/7 for customers to access eBooks, eAudio, eNewspapers and so much more! For all those parents who have children at home at the moment, you will find Reading and Learning for Kids packed full of free reading and learning things to do.