We?ve announced ongoing support for parents across the city during the Easter holidays with supermarket food vouchers and activity clubs for children.

This is something we?ve done for a few years now and the two projects have been funded through a combined award of ?3.68 million from the Household Support Grant Scheme and the Holiday Activity Fund (HAF).

Close to 20,000 children attended these clubs last year and were fed over the Easter, summer, October half-term and Christmas holidays through a continued link-up between the council and Nottingham Forest Community Trust and Trent Bridge Community Trust as lead organisations this year.

More details here

Nottingham City Council?s social workers provide life-changing care and support to our city?s most vulnerable children and families. Social work is both a challenging and rewarding career, providing a fantastic opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of children and young people.

Step Up to Social Work is an intensive, 14-month, full-time programme for people who want to change their career and become social workers, but do not have a degree in social work. Successful applicants will train through a combination of academic study and hands on social work experience with the council. You will get a ?19,833 bursary during training.

On successful completion of the programme, you?ll qualify with a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work. This qualification allows you to apply to register with Social Work England and to practice as a qualified social worker.

You need to complete your application by 12noon on Thursday 24 March.

Full details can be found here https://bit.ly/NCCStepUp

At Executive Board next Tuesday, we are planning to accept a grant of almost ?2m to continue the good work already undertaken as part of the Supporting Families programme. This long-standing national programme overseen by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities allows us to invest in services for children, young people and families across the city.

The aim is to achieve 922 successful family outcomes by keeping existing posts and staff, including Edge of Care and Family Intervention Project Teams, to maintain the programme delivery through to next March. The latest funding is designed to carry out improvement and transformation, to develop the early help available for families facing difficulties.

On Friday we celebrate St Patrick?s Day and Nottingham?s vibrant Irish community and descendants. Head to Old Market Square from 11.30am ? 4.30pm to enjoy a range of Irish music, dance and culture on stage.

Opening the event is the Louie Walsh Band, followed by a welcome, speeches and official opening. Throughout the afternoon there will be Irish dancing by the Claire Regan Academy, Glendarragh Academy, McManus Academy and the Nottingham Irish Set Dancers. As well as this, you can enjoy performances from Comhaltas Ceolt?ir? Nottingham and Kelly's Heroes.

There will also be food stalls selling traditional Irish stew and other delicacies! Find out more: https://www.visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk/whats-on/st-patricks-day-p643171

Today the Chancellor has announced the Spring Budget, which many people will be hoping contains some help for them in what have become increasingly difficult times - as I have often reflected in these emails with links to support and help with maximising income.

With many other senior councillors, I have signed?this letter from the?Children?s Society asking the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to strengthen the safety net for families who are struggling.?

Many people are taking strike action today, many pushing for wage increases. You will understand from your own experiences how hard it is for many people to make ends meet at the moment. You can find advice on our AskLion money pages, but with my colleagues I will continue to push for a better deal for Nottingham people.?