Tomorrow is GCSE results day and I would like to take this opportunity beforehand to wish good luck to all of our Nottingham pupils who will be receiving their result. I hope that students will get the results they have been expecting.

Just as for A-level students who received their results last week, the past two years have been a difficult time to study, with this year being the first since the start of the pandemic that normal exams were held again. We are proud of all of our students for the hard work that they?ve put in to getting themselves this far, and I would once again like thank all the teachers, staff, parents and others who have helped to support them.

While many young people will be celebrating successful results tomorrow, exams don?t always go as we hope and some may be unsure of what their next steps should be. Lots of advice and support is available to help students with their options and decide what to do next, such as with this guide from Futures.

Today marks Ukrainian Independence Day, which celebrates the 31st anniversary of Ukraine becoming independent from the Soviet Union. This year, celebrating Ukrainian independence is more important than ever due to the Russian invasion. Russia believe that Ukraine should not exist as a nation and is waging a completely unjustified war of aggression against the Ukrainian people. All of Europe joins Ukraine today in celebrating their right to exist as a sovereign state.

Here in Nottingham, we have a strong Ukrainian community who have been tirelessly fundraising and doing what they can to help Ukrainian people caught up in this awful war. Although many local Ukrainians will be deeply concerned about loved ones in the country, tonight is a night of celebration for the country and its diaspora and I am delighted to be invited to attend a concert to mark this special day at the Ukrainian Community Centre tonight. I?m very much looking forward to experiencing Ukrainian hospitality and culture. Since the war began, we have been regularly lighting up the Council House to show our solidarity with the Ukrainian people and shall do so tonight in celebration.

I?m really pleased that Nottingham and Nottinghamshire will receive almost ?1m to support children and young adults living in the city who are impacted by serious violence and exploitation. The funding from the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) and Home Office will allow our Youth Justice Service to build on work that?s already underway to protect young people from harm.

Working with our communities in partnership with a range of agencies including the Violence Reduction Unit, Police and Probation, extra Targeted Youth Support Workers will engage with some of the most high-risk, but also vulnerable children and young people in our city, to support them out of violence and exploitation. The three-year project will use an approach that has successfully cut violent crime in America.

More here

We?ve been made aware of possible fraudulent activity in the city, with groups preying on those who are struggling with energy bills by posing as Government agencies offering free grants for energy efficiency improvements (particularly foam loft insulation) to be made to your homes. If you think someone might be trying to scam you, it?s important to act straight away. If you?re not sure about an offer that someone has made, take your time making a decision and get advice. If you need support, call Citizen?s Advice on 0808 223 1133 or visit?www.citizensadvice.org.uk.

Nottingham City Council is working with Nottingham Energy Partnership, Cocuun and Warma to support residents to get a range of improvements made to your homes, but we will never cold call you to encourage you to apply. If you would like to have energy efficiency improvements made to your home, find out more about our Greener HousiNG campaign and the eligibility criteria online.

As more people struggle with money due to the cost of living crisis, record inflation and energy bills, I want to remind you of a free service that can help.

Stepchange, the debt charity, have put together a step-by-step guide to help anyone who's feeling weighed down by money worries.

• Spot the signs of debt stress
• Talk to someone you trust
• Get debt advice if you need it.

Take a look at their full guide here

Progress continues at pace on the restoration of the Victoria Embankment Memorial Gardens, which should be completed at the end of this year.

The work will return the park to its former glory, with a range of improvements including:

• Restoring the war Memorial, Queen Victoria Statue, pond and fountains
• Improving paths and access
• Re-planting original flower beds
• Installing new furniture
• Creating a visitor centre and toilets.

The 119-year-old Queen Victoria statue and figures on the war memorial, plus the memorial itself, are all looking spectacular after their restoration was recently completed by skilled craftspeople.

The ?1.7million project is being funded predominantly by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with further funding from The Transforming Cities Fund, The War Memorials Trust and Nottingham City Council. Find out more ?

I am really looking forward to the start of the hockey season at The Motorpoint Arena and seeing the new Panthers team in the pre-season game on Saturday against Sheffield Steelers.

A Panthers Game in our arena is one of the best nights out in our city, and there?s a lot of competition for that! With the team under new leadership, with Omar Pacha as CEO and Gary Graham as Coach, the season looks very exciting. I know they?re getting a warm welcome from Panthers fans and are already enjoying our city.

I was pleased too to hear a strong commitment to working with our communities. We are very lucky to have such a strong sporting heritage in our city. Panthers recently won the Elite Series, further back the Continental Cup and fans are hoping we will return to that winning form. I?m hoping that journey starts on Saturday night, but whatever happens, there is nothing like a full stadium against our local rivals Steelers.