We are supporting Nottinghamshire Day this Thursday 25 August.

Nottinghamshire Day takes place on the 25?August as this date marks the anniversary of the start of the English Civil War, an event triggered by Charles I raising the royal standard at Nottingham Castle in 1642.

The day is about celebrating identity, heritage, culture and local traditions. It is a way to champion our local communities, to better understand and celebrate the histories and traditions of the places we live, work and enjoy in our leisure time ? including the legendary Robin Hood.

There are so many things to be proud of in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, from our vibrant and inclusive communities, to our vitally important local and small businesses and our historic sites like Nottingham Castle, Wollaton Hall and Newstead Abbey.

Our parks have been voted the best in the country and we have more green flags than any council outside of London. We have a thriving business economy, with international companies like Capital One, Experian and Boots all calling Nottingham home.

We are a city of arts and entertainment, with arts festivals, free events and The Nottingham Playhouse, The Motorpoint Arena and The Theatre Royal.

I hope that many of you will take the chance to visit local attractions and shop local this Nottinghamshire Day. Find out more about the day online here.

We?d like to hear your thoughts on some new designs for the Nottingham City Council website as well as feedback about how the user experience could be improved.

To do this, we?re holding informal, discussion-based sessions with individuals, lasting between 60 and 70 minutes each. Depending on your availability and preference, the session can take place online or in person.

We?re looking to hold sessions between Tuesday 30 August and Thursday 8 September ? if you are interested, please email [email protected] with your availability.

As a thank you for your time, we would be delighted to offer you a day pass or family swim voucher for use in one of our Active Nottingham leisure centres.

The Annual Canvass is once again in progress to ensure that our Electoral Register is accurate and up to date. Every household in the city will receive some form of communication from our Electoral Services team, either in the form of a letter, text or email which will provide the details of how you can respond.

If you haven?t already, please respond to the registration form as soon as possible to ensure that your details are up to date and that you don?t miss out on your chance to vote in any elections.

The quickest and easiest way to respond is online here, it shouldn?t take more than 5 minutes and all you?ll need are the security codes provided with your form. Any new people that need to be added will also need to complete a separate registration application at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

You can find more information on the Annual Canvass on our website

Keeping the family entertained over the summer holidays is no easy task with two weeks to go there are still free things happening in the city.

• The Beach is open until 4 September
• Family fun at Nottingham Contemporary Book a free workshop
• Our free Summer Holiday Activity Clubs for children with free lunch return this summer!?Places are limited and must be booked in advance, with priority going to those on Free School Meals.
• See what?s on for children during the summer holidays at your local libraries, parks and more
• See what else is on this Summer.

Although not free the Nottingham Castle has launched an annual pass which gives people access for an unlimited number of visits to the galleries and grounds including the excellent Hood?s Hideout Adventure Playground. A ?10 adult admission ticket which is a discounted price for Nottingham City residents now comes with an annual pass so people can enjoy unlimited visits over a 12 month period including all the school holidays for that period. Find out more and book your tickets here

I?m pleased to hear that the Nottingham Mela is back, the four day festival will be at the New Art Exchange from 1 - 4 September. The South Asian festival of art and culture will include family events, comedy, live music, dance, poetry, yoga and much more and all events are free. However some events will need booking which can be done here.?

It?s a fantastic event celebrating our South Asian community in the city, with a chance to try new things at this four-day family festival.

Find out more and download the programme here