There?s lots going on in our city over the Easter period and I?m pleased to see the fun events that are planned for Nottingham Castle. From 15 ? 18 April, there will be a four-day programme, jam-packed with activities for families and visitors of all ages during the bank holiday weekend.

The ?Easter Weekender? will feature a trail of bespoke eggs hidden throughout the Castle grounds. Explorers will need to collect a letter from each egg to claim a chocolate treat from the Castle Visitor Centre. Circus entertainers, a bubble-ologist and stilt walkers, will roam the grounds with live music in the historic bandstand throughout the day. There?ll also be daily circus workshops and a glitter face-painter.

You can find out more on the Castle?s website: https://www.nottinghamcastle.org.uk/whats-on/easter-weekender-nottingham-castle/

We?re half way through the Easter holidays and if you?re thinking about what to do this weekend and throughout next week then you could visit the Ask Lion web page Holiday Activities for some inspiration.? We have gathered all activities taking place across the city for children and young people to enjoy. From sports to arts and places to visit, there is a wide range of activities for children of all ages.

Covid rates are continuing to increase nationally while here in Nottingham about one in every 16 people is thought to have the virus currently, which shows we can?t afford to be complacent.?

The vaccine has meant that, for most, infection is less likely to lead to serious illness.?For a lot of people, however, Covid still makes them feel really poorly and symptoms can last for a few weeks. It is still making some seriously ill and, sadly, claiming lives.

If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as Covid, and you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, please try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people.

There are simple things you can do in your daily life that will help reduce the spread of Covid and other respiratory infections to protect those at highest risk. Things you can choose to do are:

1. Get vaccinated.
2. Let fresh air in if meeting others indoors.
3. Practise good hygiene:
   1. wash your hands
   2. cover your coughs and sneezes
   3. clean your surroundings frequently
4. Wear a face covering or a face mask.

The D2N2 partnership, which facilitates collaboration between Nottingham City, Nottinghamshire, Derby City and Derbyshire councils, has secured ?10.5m of UK Community Renewal Fund monies. This fund aims to encourage innovative schemes to help kickstart the local economy by investing in skills, helping people into employment, supporting local businesses to grow and develop, and helping local communities become more resilient and sustainable. Across the D2N2 region the?fund will be supporting a range of projects to support businesses. These include:

Employment & Skills: Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) will be working with local youth groups, charities, youth organisations, schools and colleges, to offer young people aged 16 to 24 on-the-job, accredited construction training, mentoring, work placement and apprenticeship opportunities.

Newstart from Groundwork will support local employers to grow their business by creating new roles to support business expansion, with grants towards placements and carbon footprint reduction.

Business Support: East Midlands Chamber are delivering the East Midlands Accelerator project which will help businesses to access financial support to start their journey towards carbon neutrality, implement digital and e-commerce solutions,?access specialist mentoring and financial support to launch a new business or product and improve job retention. B-Global, a local business network for Black, Asian and minority ethnic business owners, will also deliver business support to SMEs through events and one-to-one support.

Communities and Place: A University of Nottingham?project will continue to help Nottingham City Council identify strategies to meet its ambitious carbon targets within the housing sector.

It?s great to see these projects come together and more information will follow as they launch.

For more information and business support the D2N2 Growth Hub delivers a single contact point for businesses and Nottingham Jobs supports both job seekers and employers.