Grace, from Nottinghamshire, sat down with The NottAlone Podcast hosts Dr Órlaith Green and Dr Maddi Popoola to talk about her road to recovery from an eating disorder and share her plan to run the London Marathon to raise money for the charity that helped her.

In the podcast episode, released Wednesday 25 February as part of Eating Disorder Awareness Week (23 to 27 February), Grace bravely discusses her challenges seeking medical help, the techniques that helped her overcome her eating disorder and what she wants more people to know about recovery.

Debbie’s journey into fostering began long before she officially became a carer.

Growing up as the eldest of five in a home affected by domestic abuse, she learned early what it meant to take responsibility and look out for others. That experience left her with a lifelong instinct to protect children and a deep commitment to ensuring they feel safe and supported. Debbie, a Nottingham foster carer, reflects, “I’ve always had a passion for children. I couldn’t stand seeing them upset or hurt, and I knew I wanted to make a difference in their lives.”

This Children’s Mental Health Week, 9-15 February, NottAlone is launching series three of The NottAlone Podcast with a focus on youth voices. 

In the spotlight for the first episode, which is released on Wednesday 11 February, is fifteen-year-old Ella Mai Blower from Colwick who shares her moving experience of coping with grief following the loss of her younger brother. 

Plans for a ‘new era’ at St Peter’s CoE Junior School in Ruddington have taken a further step, with the release of artist impressions of how the new temporary learning village will look.  

Following the discovery of structural issues as part of routine work in the main building, the school has been permanently closed since December.
 
Work on the temporary learning village started in the new year and is continuing seven days a week. It is well on track to be ready by the start of the Easter holidays so that pupils can move into their temporary new home in the new term.

Nottinghamshire residents are being urged to take advantage of free electric mattress blanket checks as the county council’s Trading Standards Team and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service return to Worksop Library on 16 March between 9.30am and 4pm.  With 80 appointment slots up for grabs, it’s a valuable opportunity for residents to ensure their much-loved blankets are not posing an unseen risk.

Today, the government has launched a consultation on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Nottinghamshire, and anyone can take part.

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Councils are encouraging residents, organisations and partners including police, fire, NHS and education providers to have their say on the Government led statutory consultation as part of the ongoing proposals for LGR in the area.

Councils launched an engagement survey in July 2025 to help shape the proposals submitted in November 2025. The Government’s statutory consultation will now gather views on the three final proposals from residents, partners, public service providers, and organisations across the public, private, and voluntary sectors. Responses will inform ministerial decisions on the preferred option for the region.

Improvements to local sporting facilities and upgrades to community centres are among the many projects which are due to help make a difference to residents’ lives thanks to council funding.

Forty-two groups have been awarded grants via the Nottinghamshire County County’s Local Communities Fund (LCF)

Nottinghamshire and Nottingham’s Armed Forces community will be celebrated at the fourth Boots and Beret Awards later this year.

Officially known as the Nottinghamshire County Council Armed Forces Community Awards, the annual event will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Nottingham, in September.

Valerie and Austin are foster carers for Foster for East Midlands Councils who have been looking after children since 2017. They wanted to help children feel safe and loved, and they knew they could make a difference.

Their first placement was a pair of two-year-old twins. What was meant to be a short stay became a long and happy journey. Over the years, Valerie and Austin have cared for many children, including some who arrived late at night still in school uniform. One group of three siblings arrived at 9pm in an emergency, and Valerie and Austin quickly gave them warm food, clean pyjamas and a cosy place to sleep.