Police investigate chanting at Forest game

This article is published in today's Nottingham Post:

Police investigate chanting at Forest game

Police are treating a report of racist chanting by Nottingham Forest fans during the club's FA Cup derby with Leicester City as a "hate crime".

The force has launched an investigation after a member of the public complained about footage posted on the YouTube website which was recorded by a spectator at last Saturday's match at The City Ground.

The 53-second clip, posted online by user RedAndWhiteDogs, shows a handful of fans in the Main Stand directing chants at Leicester fans in the Bridgford Stand.

The fans are first heard chanting 'England, England, England' before shouting 'You're not anymore, you're not anymore, you used to be English, you're not anymore'.

The clip had last night been viewed more than 2,500 times.

Superintendent Mark Holland, who led the police operation at the match, said: "The incident is being treated as a hate crime and we are reviewing CCTV footage and following up on a number of lines of inquiry.

"We take all reports of racism very seriously and work extremely closely with the football clubs in a bid to kick racism out of the game."

A Nottingham Forest spokesman said: "Nottingham Forest have a zero tolerance attitude towards any inappropriate language at The City Ground.

"Any incidents of racial or abusive language reported to us during the game against Leicester City were dealt with immediately and appropriate action was taken.

"The club are continuing to assist the police with their investigation into this matter."

It is unclear whether the chants referred to Leicester City having Thai owners or the large Asian community in the city.

Having watched the footage Dr Kevin Harvey, a lecturer on sociolinguistics at the University of Nottingham, said: "The context is important in this case. Who or what are the fans directing their abuse at? Is it the owners of Leicester City or the Leicester people?

"Leicester is an ethnically diverse area so if they are aiming their aggression at that target it seems to me there's a prima facie case of racism.

"A lot of commentators argue in football matches you expect this and it's par for the course, but the question is when does it become abusive?"

Keith Mather, chairman of Nottingham Forest Supporters' Club, who went to the match, said: "I didn't hear the chants, but it is wrong and shouldn't be happening.

"In the 40 years I've been following Forest there's never been that underlying racial tension."

City named among worst areas of UK for child poverty

This article is published in today's Nottingham Post:

City named among worst areas of UK for child poverty

More than one in three children in Nottingham are growing up in poverty.

The Campaign to End Child Poverty group today names Nottingham as one of the ten most poverty-stricken council areas in the country.

Its figures show 35 per cent of children are living in poverty, compared with the national average of 20 per cent.

Mark Bowyer, of Broxtowe Partnership Trust, which works to provide opportunities for people in the Broxtowe estate area, blames a lack of jobs for the figures.

He said: "We need to have appropriate jobs for the people in our city, who definitely want to work.

"In Nottingham, for most people, this means entry-level jobs with the chance of moving upwards."

Figures released yesterday showed 31.5 per cent of households in Nottingham had no one in a job.

The figures led Nottingham City Council leader Councillor Jon Collins to call on the Government to avoid making spending cuts in the hardest-hit areas.

He said: "The question that needs to be asked is why is Nottingham City Council facing so many Government cuts compared to more affluent areas when so many families are living in poverty?

"Last year, some areas saw increases in their budget, while ourselves and other authorities faced big cuts."

The city council has faced cuts of £60 million this year, with a further £55 million being slashed in the next two years. According to the report, children live in poverty if their family's annual income is below 60 per cent of the UK average of £26,000.

Along with Nottingham, the only areas outside London in ten worst , were Manchester, Derry and Belfast.

The worst-hit area of Nottingham is Aspley, where 52 per cent of children live in poverty, while other problem spots include Bilborough, Bulwell and St Ann's.

Nottingham North MP Graham Allen, whose constituency includes Aspley, feels the figures can be improved.

He said: "We have the attitude in Nottingham to tackle this by getting to the root of problems early.

"With our early-intervention programme in Nottingham, we are equipping children with the social and emotional skills to make the best of themselves."

David Harris, principal of the Nottingham University Samworth Academy, in Bilborough, said: "There are a lot of positive things about Nottingham.

"We work hard here to raise the aspirations of our students to show them that there are opportunities out there and that they can make a success of themselves.

"We have a good bunch of head teachers in this area who are very positive about Nottingham. We are lucky to have young people who want to be successful in this city."

Councillor David Mellen, city council portfolio holder for children's services, said: "We know that a child living in poverty is more likely to have poorer health, lower attainment and less earning potential.

"Therefore, we are undertaking a considerable amount of activity to support parents and carers into work and help them to increase their family income.

"For example, the Nottingham Jobs Fair enabled 536 people to enter work and we have created the £1.5 million Jobs Fund to support young people aged 18 to 24."

Barrister Usha Sood on the Stephen Lawrence verdicts

This is Usha Sood's Guest Column, published in today's Nottingham Post:

Barrister Usha Sood on the Stephen Lawrence verdicts

Usha Sood, human rights barrister based at Trent Chambers writes about the verdicts in the Stephen Lawrence case

Over the years since the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, we have quietly buried the term "institutional racism", that was originally levelled at the police and other services by the McPherson Report.

In 2011 the Notts Race Equality Council was closed down, despite 50 years of assistance in the field.

This abandonment has unfortunately occurred without achieving full racial justice and tolerance in the UK, while only limited relief for the Lawrence family came from the conviction of Gary Dobson and David Norris, two of the perpetrators of the murderous, unprovoked attack.

In 1999, I was invited by the then Home Secretary Jack Straw to join his McPherson Steering Group to tackle the recommendations of the Lawrence Inquiry, including to institute detailed changes to police processes, monitoring and recruitment, and other measures to combat racism.

This group included the Lawrence parents, Doreen and Neville, who tried time and time again to ensure that the agenda remained focussed on raising awareness about the need for fundamental change among those delivering such important services.

During my tenure on the Steering Group, later Home Secretaries (David Blunkett and Charles Clarke) assumed the steer over the implementation of the McPherson recommendations, but like the Lawrences, I noticed that the Government's will to instill change wilted with Blunkett and Clarke, and the group was eventually disbanded.

A large measure of constructive recommendations had however already been implemented by then, and continue to help the quest for a level society, with effective action against hate crime.

The death on Boxing Day of a young Indian student in Salford, in a similar unprovoked killing, is an all too painful reminder that the search for respect for human life and dignity still needs nurturing, and that society has still to overcome ingrained racism.

Teen overcomes disability to help others

This article is published in today's Nottingham Post:

Teen overcomes disability to help others

A teenager who has overcome his own disability to help others into canoeing and kayaking has been nominated for an award.

Matthew Baines, 17, suffers from cerebral palsy but regularly volunteers at the 4A's centre – Adventure Activities for All Abilities – where he helps young people under 25 who are visually impaired, have physical disabilities or learning difficulties.

Matthew, of Edward Avenue, Newark, also helps raise cash for the club by bag-packing and writing presentations about 4A's work.

He volunteers at Newark Town Football Club and is an ambassador for disability sport within Notts.

The kayak champion has been nominated for a Young People of the Year award for his efforts. The awards recognise how young people go the extra mile to help out in their communities.

Matthew has competed at national and international level in kayaking. He achieved three gold medals and two silver medals at the National Championships at Holme Pierrepont in September, and is the boys champion for his ability.

He represented Great Britain at the European sprint canoeing championships in 2008 and, as a member of the para-canoeing squad, hopes to compete in the World Sprint Championships in Poznan, Poland, this August.

Matthew, who won Canoe England's volunteer award for impact on disability for volunteering to help others with kayaking, was nominated for the Young People of the Year award by Julie Lowe, chair and coach of the 4As.

She said: "He is always willing and al all-round helper.

"He is so enthusiastic. He wants others to get as much out of canoeing as he has done.

"He is a very good communicator who gets on with anybody of any age, regardless of any disability or difficulty they may have.

"He is an excellent ambassador for sport and for people with disabilities, and a great role model for other young people. A lot of the younger members of the club look up to him."

This is the fourth year of the Young People of the Year awards in Notts. Winners can receive £500 for their chosen charity and up to £1,000 for themselves.

For more information, see www.yopey.org

Station improvements called for in Broxtowe disability review

This article is published in today's Nottingham Post:

Station improvements called for in Broxtowe disability review

A 20-POINT action plan has been drawn up to make Broxtowe more accessible for people with disabilities.

Broxtowe Borough Council has published the findings of a 12-month review which looked at how accessible the borough is.

The report calls for access improvements to platform two at Beeston railway station.

The recommendation follows a review of disability issues by the council's People and Places Examination and Inquiry Group.

Councillor Jacky Williams, who chairs the group, said: "Transport was one of the main issues. Hopefully improvements at Beeston station, certainly for platform two, will happen."

At present, passengers with disabilities have to get to the platform via a road footbridge in Station Road. The platform is the main stopping point for trains heading out of Nottingham to London, Birmingham and Cardiff.

The council's stance has been welcomed by campaigner Dean Thomas, of Beeston.

Mr Thomas, 39, who has cerebral palsy, said: "At worst the situation at Beeston train station is discriminatory and a disgrace, at best it's frustrating and a right pain.

"It's crazy that I have to go to Nottingham or Derby to board a train which often then stops at Beeston. Living in central Beeston this can often add an hour at least on to any journey I make.

"To make the station fully accessible it needs to be staffed at all times by at least two people and it also should have an accessible toilet."

The review was carried out between January and November last year, with the committee holding eight meetings with various groups.

Other topics covered included access to public conveniences, access to housing, community issues, employment, sport and leisure, and access to public buildings.

The report found 12 out of 19 council and civic buildings in the borough met accessibility standards for people with disabilities.

As a result, the committee has drawn up a list of 20 recommendations.

Suggestions include forming a disability access group of disabled residents to allow greater involvement with the council over disability matters; producing a leaflet informing businesses of their duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005; and seeking to install an adapted "Changing Places'' disabled toilet as part of the Beeston Square redevelopment.

Mr Thomas last year campaigned for access to be improved in Beeston town centre. He said: "Access to Beeston town centre has been improved recently, mainly as a result of the new paving to the pedestrian areas which has made level access to more shops."

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said there were no plans to carry out work to improve disabled access at Beeston station, but that it would be willing to work with any partner organisations planning to do so.

Hundreds sign up for disability ID scheme

This article is published in today's Nottingham Post:

Hundreds sign up for disability ID scheme

MORE than 1,000 people in Notts have signed up to a pioneering scheme allowing them to prove they have a disability.

The cards, which are being produced by the county council, help people who are not obviously disabled use services they are entitled to.

Since being launched last summer, 1,200 people have been given the photo-identity cards.

The authority, the first in the country to offer the scheme, is now planning to provide free cards to disabled children.

Youngsters will be able to choose from designs featuring a giraffe, a leaf or a dove if councillors give the go-ahead.

The scheme has now been recognised nationally after being shortlisted for two awards.

Paul McKay, director of adult social services for the county council, said its success had been "phenomenal".

He said: "It has given people more respect and dignity and improved their well-being.

"Not everyone has an obvious disability and this scheme gives people a lot more confidence."

The cards are designed to fit in a purse or wallet and include the holder's picture.In some cases, people with colostomy bags have been able to use the card to prove they are disabled when entering nightclubs.

As many as 40 people a week in Notts are now applying for the cards and the council has taken on a new part-time worker to deal with requests.

Arnold resident Terry Gallagher – who has had his bladder and large intestine removed but doesn't use a wheelchair or walking aid – came up with the idea.

He said: "The council deserves a tremendous amount of credit for doing this. I know a lady who suffers very badly from asthma who found a disabled seat on the bus and started using her inhaler.

"A group of young mums started calling her names for using the seat, but the poor woman was fighting to breathe and was so frightened she wouldn't go out.

"But she now has a disability card and is able to go out because she has the confidence. It is a wonderful scheme."

Michael Northridge, 69, of Hucknall, often needs to use the toilet at short notice after having an ileostomy.

He said: "When I saw this I thought it was a brilliant idea. I have already used it twice in emergencies.

"Once I had to visit a pub to use the toilet and I had the card already at hand. I felt very confident about it."

Leaflets and application forms for the cards are available at most libraries and all county contact points, where advisors can are on hand to help.

They are also available by phoning 08449 808080.