We?re now seeing a huge increase in Covid-19 cases across the country. The new variant Omicron is spreading at an alarming rate. It is vital that you are protected.

The NHS has worked hard over the last week to increase the number of vaccination appointments ? especially for the extra people who are now eligible for their third ?booster? jab. Everyone over the age of 18 can now get a booster if it has been three months since their 2^nd dose.

This is incredibly important: having two jabs and a booster will give you the greatest protection against Omicron. If you have had Covid before, it will likely have been one of the earlier variants and so will not give you immunity.

You can book your booster online to select the best venue/day/time: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

You can now also walk-in without appointment to three sites, although you might have to wait: Victoria Health Centre, Richard Herrod Leisure Centre and Newark Showground are open for vaccinations from 9am to 5pm.

Please do everything you can to take care of yourself and stay safe from Covid-19.

From Monday 22 to Friday 26 November, my councillor and officer colleagues and I read to over 1,200 children in schools, nurseries and playgroups across the city. We were aiming to raise awareness of ? as well as vital funds for ? the Imagination Library in Nottingham: a scheme that delivers a free book every month to local children from birth up to five years of age.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of the public and local businesses, I am delighted to say that we quadrupled our target, raising over ?20,000!

We are so pleased to have raised such a fantastic amount for children in our city, and we?d like to say a big ?thank you? to everyone who donated. The Imagination Library in Nottingham relies on donations to help parents and children enjoy exploring books together. Every little helps:

• ?2 pays for a child to get a new book
• ?25 pays for a new book every month for a year
• ?125 pays for a new book every month from birth until age five.

For more information about the Imagination Library in Nottingham, and to set up a regular donation, please visit the website at www.dollybooksnottingham.org. Please consider becoming a regular supporter, so we can continue to give Nottingham children the best start in life. Thank you.

Further information here.

We now have more vouchers to help people on Council Tax Support with food and energy bills. The funding has been made available through the Government?s Household Support Grant to help people through the winter.

People who have yet to claim, can now apply for:

• Supermarket vouchers worth ?100
• Energy bill vouchers worth ?49

Please note, these are on a first-come, first served basis. If you have received supermarket vouchers already in December then you won?t be eligible for this round ? but you can still apply for energy vouchers. Apply here: www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/HouseholdSupportVouchers

I want to personally give a heartfelt thanks to everyone who has donated Christmas gifts to vulnerable Nottingham children this festive season. We?ve had a great response to our online wishlist, resulting in around 1,500 gifts being donated, and so appreciate your support and generosity ? it will mean the world to Nottingham children this Christmas.