Demolition plan announced for town centre social club
Plus: Thousands raised in memory of young boy
Good morning and welcome back to the Thursday briefing from Ashfield News. This week’s stories include demolition plans for a social club, thousands of pounds raised in memory of a young Sutton boy and improvements to tennis courts in Kirkby.
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Social club demolition plans announced
A social club which shut down in January is set to be torn down and replaced with a new pub.
Ashfield District Council owns the land where the Wyvern Club, on the corner of Urban Road and Lane End, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, currently sits.
The authority has now submitted a planning application to demolish the venue and “restore” the site.
It forms part of the West Kirkby Gateway scheme, near to the town’s train station, and will be funded through the £62.6m Towns Fund deal.
The aim of the overall programme is to revitalise the west side of Kirkby and will also include business facilities and a function space.
In its restoration plan, released as part of the demolition planning application, a spokesperson said: “The proposed restoration plan aims to ensure the site is left in a safe, and visually appealing state following the demolition up to the point where the main construction phase commences.
“This approach not only meets the necessary environmental and safety standards but also contributes positively to the local community by leaving the site in a well-maintained condition, ready for future use or development.”
A decision is due on the project by October 21.
Thousands raised in memory of young boy
Thousands of pounds have been raised in memory of a Sutton boy who has died aged 12.
Riley Townsend took his own life on September 1.
The young footballer had played for Kirkby Colts FC and Teversal FC and a fundraising page to pay for his funeral has since been inundated with tributes.
One donation on behalf of Teversal FC said: “We are so sorry for your loss, our thoughts and love our with you all.”
So far, the page has raised almost £10,000.
You can make a donation by clicking here.
Renovation confirmed for tennis courts
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has offered more than £10,000 to help with the renovation of tennis courts in a town park.
The grant would also go towards the provision of a gate access system at the courts in Kingsway Park, Kirkby.
In total, the LTA offered £10,760.80 towards the project, which has been accepted by Ashfield District Council.
The improvements will include the courts being re-painted and new net posts, as well as the gate system.
Anti-social behaviour probe in town centre
Police are urging people who have witnessed or experienced anti-social behaviour in a town centre to contact them.
Officers from the Ashfield Neighbourhood Policing Team want to hear from people who have used or shopped in Sutton town centre over the last 12 months.
The call comes as the force looks to take action in the town centre, which has included dispersal orders being put in place.
People who would like to give evidence are asked to contact Ashfield Police via its Facebook page with a description of what you have seen, alongside your full name and mobile number.
Those who fear reprisals or repercussions will have their identity protected, but a full name and contact detals are still required.
Health worker jailed after patient death
A healthcare assistant has been jailed for negligence after a vulnerable patient at a mental health unit took her own life.
Rebecca Welch, 29, pictured below, failed to conduct welfare checks on 31-year-old Amelia Rose, who was admitted to the Millbrook Mental Health Unit in Sutton-in-Ashfield.
Welch had been assigned to check on Amelia at 10-minute intervals from 1 pm on 31 January 2020.
However, CCTV footage revealed that she did not carry out any checks before Amelia was tragically found unresponsive by another staff member at 1:53 pm.
Amelia was rushed to King’s Mill Hospital but passed away the following day.
Investigations later uncovered that Welch had falsely recorded performing the required checks every 10 minutes in a logbook.
An inquest held in 2022 concluded that Amelia most likely died by suicide, though her intent could not be definitively determined.
Following a thorough investigation by Nottinghamshire Police, Welch was charged with wilful neglect by a care worker.
She pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing and was sentenced to one year in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday, 4 September.
In a heartfelt statement, Amelia’s grieving parents expressed their devastation: “Our beautiful, fun-loving, caring, and intelligent daughter Amelia Rose died aged 31, in what should have been the prime of her life.
“Amelia would have had her whole life ahead of her if she had been given the help she so desperately pleaded for. But in three short days of admission to Millbrook, due to the complete lack of care by Rebecca Welch, she was left to die unnecessarily.”
Detective Inspector Clare Gibson, of Nottinghamshire Police, acknowledged the immense pain felt by Amelia’s family: “Welch’s failure to carry out mandatory observations lost any opportunity to prevent Amelia taking these actions.
“The creation of false records in an attempt to cover her back was particularly damning. I hope today’s sentencing provides some closure for her loved ones.”
Dementia training for police
Nottinghamshire Police has introduced a pioneering training programme to enhance officers' understanding of dementia, aiming to improve their interactions with those affected by the condition.
The initiative, developed in collaboration with Vicky McClure’s Our Dementia Choir and the Radford Care Group, is designed to help officers better respond to the needs of individuals living with dementia.
The first group of new recruits attended a three-hour session covering key aspects of dementia, including its symptoms, communication strategies, and internal police procedures such as the Herbert Protocol—a tool to assist in locating missing persons with dementia.
Inspector Jemma Connor-Iommi, who spearheaded the initiative, emphasised the importance of the training, noting that officers are likely to encounter people with dementia throughout their careers.
She highlighted the potential distress that police presence can cause for those with the condition and the need for officers to respond with empathy and understanding.
Vicky McClure, founder of Our Dementia Choir, expressed her pride in partnering with the police and underscored the importance of this training in making the dementia community feel safer and more understood.