Notts Going On: Colourful characters and prestigious pastry
We've dived into remarkable artworks, delicious wins, and more...
It’s Monday morning, which can only mean it’s time for Notts Going On. We can’t lie — it has been another difficult month for the area, with City Council budget cuts being agreed on last month (more below). Despite this, it has been brilliant to see people standing up for the city (shout-outs to Resolve Nottingham and the Sheriff of Nottingham).
There are also plenty of others flying the flag and showcasing what a great place it is to be in and thrive. We loved speaking to Everyday People’s Pete Hewitt for last weekend’s long-read, who hit national headlines a few weeks ago:
If that’s made you hungry, just wait until you hear about one legendary chippy’s award-winning pies. All that and more are down below.
Notts Going On
Curated by Eve Smallman
💰 Nottingham City Council ‘reluctantly’ approved tens of millions of pounds of cuts in the seven-hour-long Full Council Meeting on March 4. You can read more about this on Notts TV’s piece here (who we highly recommend looking to for brilliant local democracy reporting). The one councillor who voted against the cuts was Shuguftah Quddoos, who told Notts TV she has ‘no regrets’ about her decision despite being suspended from the Labour Party. Talk about a total Robin Hood hero move from the Sheriff of Nottingham — we salute you.
🥧 It may be March, but it’s definitely still pie weather in our opinion, which is why our stomachs were left rumbling after this news. Nottingham’s famous chippy The Cod’s Scallops completely mopped up at the British Pie Awards (see its jubilant Insta post here). It entered three pies into the Chip Shop Pie category and won first with its cheese, potato, and onion pie, followed by chicken, leek, and ham pie in second and smoked haddock, leek, mustard and mature cheddar pie in third.
🎨 Acclaimed disciplinary artist Osheen Siva is bringing their first UK exhibition Karuppu to NTU’s Bonington Gallery (more info here). Siva’s work brings together heritage, comic books, sci-fi and the bright shades of South India in characters and dreamscapes. The exhibition will showcase drawings, paintings, collaborative tapestries, and more. It’s launching this Friday (March 15), along with the Bonington Vitrines exhibition of local self-taught artist Shahnawaz Hussain and the Peepshow film presentation, as part of the Light After Dark Film Festival. The launch event is free to enter (find out more here) and Siva’s free-to-enter exhibition will run from March 16 until May 4.
👜 NTU has teamed up with local charity shop chain White Rose to create a ‘student wardrobe’. No, we’re not talking about glad rags for Ocean — we’re talking about professional clothes for interviews, assessment days and recruitment activities (read more on the West Bridgford Wire here). Students can choose two articles for free and the service can be accessed for up to three years after they graduate. White Rose was created by Grace Walker and Angela Ford while they were students at Trent and the charity supports the Aegis Trust, as inspired by a trip they took to Rwanda while studying.
🏡 If you’ve ever dreamed about having the most gorgeous garden, you’re going to want to feast your eyes on this stunning Tunnel Road home in The Park on Rightmove, listed by FHP Living. The modernised home has three bedrooms (including one with stunning dark beams on the roof), three luxe bath/shower rooms, and an open plan kitchen and living room area that’s perfect for hosting. Meanwhile, the colourful and creative garden was designed by an award-winning Chelsea designer. The contemporary home is accepting offers over £1.05m.
🥇 Gymnast sisters Becky and Ellie Downie received their MBEs at Windsor Castle last Wednesday. They were recognised for their services to the sport of gymnastics and for their service to gymnasts, too. Ellie retired from the sport at 23 due to mental health concerns and her treatment in the sport. She said the MBE ‘is something that is forever and that means more than any medal could.’ Find out more at Matt Taylor’s piece for BBC News.