I?m concerned to see that cases of Covid-19 are starting to rise in Nottingham. We must do all we can to reduce the spread of the virus to protect ourselves and others. One of the steps we are asking people to take is to wear a face covering in busy indoor places where mixing with others is unavoidable.

You should wear a mask:

• In shops and supermarkets
• When moving around in pubs, cafes and restaurants
• In cinemas, theatres and at concerts
• On buses, trams and trains
• In all council buildings

I want us all to take action now before the number of cases rises higher. None of us wants to see a return to the harsh restrictions ? or even lockdowns ? that we had in the last autumn and winter. Let?s all stay safe and look out for one another.

Fortnightly garden waste collections are changing to monthly collections for October and November. Due to the current pressure with driver shortages and illness, we are making a commitment to ensure that if a round is missed on the appointed day, that it will be collected on the following Saturday.

And just a reminder, there are alternative options for managing garden waste including home composting and the Household Waste and Recycling Centre on Redfield Road in Lenton.

It has been a difficult garden waste collection season and I thank everyone for their patience and for the contribution made towards our recycling targets. As we get closer to another end of year we are on target to collect more than 12,000 tonnes of gardening waste which will help us to achieve our carbon neutral ambitions.

To find out your next collection date please click this link and enter your postcode.

Today marks the start of ?Stoptober?, when people are encouraged to think about quitting smoking, whether it?s their first, second or third attempt.

This year the Nottingham City Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) and partners are running a ?Stub It! this Stoptober? campaign, using this month as an opportunity to talk about the prevalence of smoking in the city ? 27% of city residents, roughly 64,000 people, are registered as smokers compared to the national average of 18% - and help people in Nottingham to stop smoking.

The Stub It! campaign is aimed at residents of Nottingham City. People can self-refer to access tailored help and support from the service through the website here www.ncgpa.org.uk/stub-it, while general advice to help quit smoking can also be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/

Evidence has shown that if a smoker can quit for 28 days, then they are five times more likely to quit for good, and by pairing this with behavioural support and nicotine replacement products offered through the service, smokers will further increase their chance of quitting for life.

I hope anyone currently thinking about quitting or who is struggling with nicotine addiction will consider taking part in the campaign, and I wish them good luck on their journey.

Black History Month begins today, with plenty of opportunities to celebrate and learn about #Nottingham's black history and culture, from music and film screenings to talks.

A panel discussion event will take place at Strelley Library on 14 October at 10am ? with a line-up of guest speakers talking on the theme of ?Black Futures ? a discussion about taking action and campaigning for change. Get free tickets online

Find out what?s happening locally Black History Month|Nottingham and at the University of Nottingham Celebrate Black History Month 2021