Today is International Women's Day, which we marked with a special event at the Council House led by Cllr Neghat Khan. I enjoyed the Public Health team?s workshop exploring barriers and routes to women living as long as possible in good health.

It?s a day to celebrate women?s contributions to history, culture, and society ? and we?ve been remembering Betty Higgins - the first woman leader of Nottingham City Council who led the council from 1983-87 and again from 1991-93. Betty, a former teacher, was known for championing women?s voices and fighting to make sure that women were represented in public, civic and community life.

One of her great contributions to Nottingham life was to fight to keep control of our buses at a time when most towns and cities lost theirs due to deregulation.?Forty years later,?Nottingham City Transport has just celebrated 125 years of public ownership. Betty also set in motion the visionary plans for our tram network, with the first line completed nearly 15 years after she stepped down as leader.

Today is also No Smoking Day and local smokers are being urged to give quitting a go, as research shows those who smoke are more likely to develop dementia.

The annual awareness day encourages smokers to make a quit attempt and this year?s theme is ?stopping smoking protects your brain health.?

According to Alzheimer?s Research UK, dementia is the most feared health condition for people over the age of 55 ? more than any other life-threatening disease including cancer and diabetes. Yet YouGov data commissioned by Action on Smoking and Health revealed that in East Midlands, 18% of people who smoke know that smoking increases the risk of dementia, compared to 75-80% who know that smoking causes lung diseases or cancers.

I know it?s not the easiest thing to give up tobacco, I can say from personal experience, but it?s really important to never give up on giving up. Perhaps the revelation that smokers are more likely to get dementia will give someone an extra reason to try.

In Nottingham, support is available through StubIt!

More here

I was really pleased to hear Nottingham?s in line for a national award recognising our plan to improve people?s health in the city and the way we work with local partners to do this.

Our fantastic Public Health team, who I have worked closely with during my time as Portfolio Holder for Adults and Health a couple of years ago, and as Chair of Health and Wellbeing Board ,submitted an entry in the Local Government Chronicle Awards 2023 and has now been shortlisted.

Lucy Hubber, our Director of Public Health, and her colleagues will travel down to London next month to give a presentation before judges make a final decision. Good luck!

You can read more here.

The spring edition of the Arrow is available online, giving residents the latest news from the City Council.

Click here to read it, including:

• What's on this Spring?
• How to join in with the Big Nottingham Spring Clean!
• Local elections in Nottingham 4 May
• Building more Council homes and a new bus station in Bulwell

And enter a competition to win great prizes.