North Notts Community Arena

Testimonial 1:

To the Worksop Guardian,

With all the present doom and gloom it was a welcome relief to see the article in the Worksop Guardian regarding the North Notts Community Arena's success over the past five years, since a group of likeminded service users banded together and saved the Arena from closure. As an Arena user I feel the praise the staff deserve is long overdue.

The activities enjoyed by the users, particularly the disabled patrons, are second-to-none and the dedicated staff constantly strive to improve and develop new activities for all users of the centre; the latest development being the gym facilities. The list is endless; and I would urge the Bassetlaw people to come and see for themselves the numerous facilities and activities on offer to all at the Arena.

Thank you one and all for your hard work and dedication. Remember all you people out there "If you don't use it, you lose it."

Long may the success of the Arena continue.

Stella & Sandy Suter - Happy Arena users

Testimonial 2:

Dear Nigel Turner,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting Orchard School's Work Experience Programme. All our Year 10 pupils have been on placements for two weeks and each pupil has thoroughly enjoyed their experiences and has gained valuable knowledge and skills relating to their future career choices.

I do hope you feel you can continue to support our programme in the future.

Yours sincerely,

N. Stokes - Work Experience Co-ordinator

Testimonial 3:

Nigel,

As chairman of the above group, I write to thank you and the Trust for taking control of the arena and saving its closure, thus continuing the availability of the facilities offered to our group for use on Monday mornings from 10am to 1pm.

Our group has a membership of 68 at present, with a waiting list of applicants to join now waiting two years.

The group greatly appreciate the risks taken by the trust in taking over the Arena from the Bassetlaw Council and saving it from closing down. The members view is that the Arena is now running with more efficiency and better use made of the buildings, with more facilities and attractions available daily.

We really should now be known as 'The over 70's Group', but that's another matter and we all look forward to Monday mornings, much preferable to Monday Washdays.

We all hope and wish for your continued success for the years to come, even though the years are passing much too quickly for some of us.

Yours very sincerely,

Ramon F Green - Chairman

Testimonial 4:

Dear Nigel,

On behalf of the trustees of Focus on Young People In Bassetlaw I would like to thank you and your staff for supporting our 'Sewhat 09' event held on the 21st May.

The event was another huge success for FoYPIB, part of the success of the event is having a venue like the North Nott's Community Arena to hold the show in. Your staff members were as always most accommodating with me and the others involved in putting the show together. Nothing was too much trouble for them, no task too large or small; they were on hand to assist at all times and a pleasure to work with. Would you please pass on my thanks for their support before, during and after the event.

Thank you once again.

Yours sincerely,

Vicky Rawson - Development Manager

Testimonial 5:

Dear Nigel

On behalf of members and staff of 'Memories Social Club', l would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your staff for your generosity in providing the free entertainment on Tuesday 3 March 2009. The 'Roll out the Barrel' show was very much enjoyed and appreciated by all.

Music is a very popular activity among our members and the programme of songs during the afternoon evoked some very special memories. People living with dementia can sometimes feel socially isolated and excluded from community life. The experience of spending an afternoon together with others in a community setting proved to be positively beneficial and no doubt raised people's wellbeing.

Once again thank you for the opportunity and hospitality.

Tracey Hardy

Testimonial 6:

I am the activities co-ordinator for Athorpe Lodge Nursing home. I brought a group of residents from the above nursing home to the workshop arena on the 03/03/09 to see the show Roll out the Barrel. We arrived early as I had booked a meal for us. The service and meal was excellent, I also ordered ice cream for the interval, and nothing was too much trouble for the staff.

Then we went into the show and the help we received was excellent. The costumes, setting of the show was excellent. The residents spoke about it for days after to the residents who didn't attend, I think we may have more going next time. Last year we came to the show but didn't have a meal as it was the first time we were there and did not know about the cafe. I hope this helps, as residents would miss it as there is not much locally that is suitable for them.

Please keep up the good work,

S Hughes - Activity Co-ordinator.

Testimonial 7:

Dear Nigel

THE 50 PLUS THURSDAY CLUB - LETTER OF APPRECIATION

As you are no doubt aware, The 50 Plus Thursday Club continues to thrive and the part that you and your staff have played in this cannot be over stated. May I please pass on my thanks and appreciation on behalf of our membership and allow me to highlight a number of points that are indicative of why we hold you in such high regard.

NNCA staff members are amongst the most polite, professional and dedicated individuals l have ever encountered and this is reflected by the mutual respect we enjoy and which further reinforces our desire to expand our membership.

As l suspect you know, our good friend Sandy Suter suffers from Alzheimer's disease which could under normal circumstances preclude him from participating in certain activities; however, with all your support, encouragement and most importantly patience, it has facilitated his full inclusion whereby he continues to enjoy a thoroughly rewarding and active social life.

The club is a highlight of the week for many of our members and were it not for The North Nott's Community Arena and the excellent facilities and service it provides, life for at least some of us could be considered a lot less fulfilling.

Please keep up your excellent work and be aware that The 50 Plus Thursday Club is

I am extremely grateful that you go above and beyond the call of duty.

Sincerest thanks and regards

Philip Lee - Chairman

Testimonial 8:

Dear Nigel

On behalf of Bassetlaw Local Strategic Partnership I would like to thank you and your staff for looking after us so well at the Plugged O9 event held on the 25th March.

During the planning process and on the day your staff at all times were very accommodating of our needs, nothing was too much trouble and no request too large or too small.

The day was a great success and I am sure that many young people found it both informative and interesting.

Please pass on our thanks to all concerned at North Nott's Community Arena.

Best wishes

Vicky Rawson - Development Manager

Focus on Young People in Bassetlaw

Member of Bassetlaw LSP

Testimonial 9:

Dear Arena,

Thank you for accommodating us at such short notice and looking after us so well it was really appreciated.

Gill Fendley

Secretary Worksop Harriers Athletic Club.

Testimonial 10:

Dear Nigel, Andrea and Staff

I would just like to say a huge thank you for making the Grimethorpe Colliery Band Concert last week such a success, for it is down to all your hard work that it went without a hitch, and everyone who attended had such a brilliant evening. Once again the Arena has done us proud!

It was fantastic wasn't it? They are, without a doubt, in a class of their own, and l feel really honoured that they give their time freely for the Hospice especially as they are so much in demand. Supporting a relatively small charity in Bassetlaw is just so brilliant I cannot express it in words. Please excuse me for rambling on so!!

Thank you so much, all of you, for making this possible, and we will just have to look forward until two years time, all being well that is. May I take this opportunity of wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

With my very best wishes

Lesley Smith -Event Co-ordinator - Chairman: Michael W. Quigley M.B.E.

Testimonial 11:

We have been using the North Nott's Arena on a weekly basis for over a year, we realise this is the only community leisure centre available in our area that can be used during the school day.

We run a snooker group weekly and have used the arena for activity days to promote healthy living and exercise.

Our Clients who experience enduring mental health issues and are comfortable in the surroundings as the staff are always very friendly and helpful which has led to clients accessing the services available outside of our organised activities.

We feel any funds that could be provided would be of great benefit to our clients and the-local community.

Regards,

All of the staff at Bassetlaw Household.

Testimonial 12:

Dear Nigel,

On behalf of Trust AM I would like to thank you very much indeed for everything you and your staff did to make the Hanger Dance such a resounding success.

The first thing that hit us on arrival was the excellent way the room had been prepared, with the stage, dance floor, bunting and tables immediately providing the perfect setting for a 1940s event. Your staff members were exceptionally courteous and hard working and helped immensely to create the right atmosphere. We would like you to pass on our appreciation to them all.

The only people that missed out were the ones who were not there! If we do a similar event again in the future we would hope to attract more people.

Thank you again,

Yours faithfully,

Steve Roberts - Exec Chairman

Testimonial 13:

Dear Sir/Madam,

We would like to offer a letter of support towards the North Nott's Community Arena's bid to the Coalfield Regeneration Trust for their Energise the Arena project.

In my role as Community Access Worker for Bassetlaw I work with learning disability services to increase the level of social inclusion for adults with learning disabilities, the major focus being service users having the opportunity to do what they want where they want and alongside other members of the community. Our approach follows what was set out in the white paper Valuing People.

The North Nott's Community Arena has been at the forefront of this drive towards greater access to community facilities for adults with learning disabilities. Their approach is open-minded and flexible, and they have worked both with me and other community groups to ensure service users are consulted. I work closely with the learning disability day service called Greenacre in Worksop, service users there have been consulted about what leisure taster they would like to try, the arena have then planned a programme following what was the most popular suggestions this has become the Active@Arena programme.

The Arena now chair a multi agency meeting that continues this work, and plans are always developing further, we have recently discussed at these meetings the possibility of getting a fully accessible changing place facility at the Arena, a piece of work we have decided to work on together.

David Pearson

Strategic Director of Adult Social Care and Health / Greenacre Day Service.

Testimonial 14:

We have found that working with the Arena means opportunities really do happen, and they are always user lead. The Arena has a welcoming and helpful staff team who have been very keen to develop their knowledge of the needs and abilities of disabled people and the many sporting activities they can take a full part in, this has been achieved through the Arena supporting their staff to attend training, and working closely with the Nottinghamshire County Councils Sports Disability Team.

The Arena is the only community facility of its kind locally that is open to the whole community during the day, and seeming its future through the planned building work is essential.

Yours sincerely,

Katie Fisher - Community Access Worker

Adult Social Care & Health - Nottinghamshire County Council

Testimonial 15:

Dear Nigel and Daz,

Bassetlaw Sports Awards - A Review of 2009

This letter of thanks seems little reward for the time and effort you invested in our Sports Awards ceremony in January. We really appreciated the efforts that yourself and your colleagues put in throughout the day to help prepare for the ceremony.

The comments received from members of the audience were all extremely complimentary about the venue and how it was set out. They felt that the venue really gave the ceremony a truly traditional atmosphere for the event.

Please accept the sincere thanks of the Sports Development Team and everyone who attended on the Friday night for making a great evening truly memorable.

Yours sincerely

Brett Frost - Sports Development Officer

Testimonial 16:

Dear Nigel,

Bassetlaw Breast care Appeal

On behalf of Doncaster 8- Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust thank you again for your continued support of the Bassetlaw Breast care Appeal and for hosting our recent fashion show held at the arena on 9 October.

As you know our aim at the start of the appeal was to raise £250,000 to refurbish and expand the existing Breast care Unit facilities for patients. This target has been raised and we have entered the second phase of fundraising which is to equip the unit.

We very much appreciate the support given to Bassetlaw Hospital.

Kind regards

Yours sincerely

Sally Richardson - Breast scare Appeal Fundraiser

Testimonial 17:

Dear Nigel,

I wish to thank you for your involvement and support of our Preparing for Working Life Conference.

Our students have gained considerably from your involvement in the conference and experience shows that our students fondly remember them for many years to come.

Your expertise and commitment in working with our students help prepare them for the world of work which as you know in the current climate, they need all the help and assistance we can give them to achieve their hopes and dreams.

I hope you found working in Valley school an enjoyable and rewarding experience, as well as it contributing to your own personal development.

I look forward to you working in partnership with Valley School in the future.

I am sure that Nichola Simpson will be contacting you soon to see if you are able to support our conference next year and hope that you will be able to do so.

Yours Sincerely,

Brian Rossiter - Head Teacher

Testimonial 18:

To whom it may concern,

Dear Sir,

I am writing to thank you and your team for the help and support you have provided for the pupils and staff from the Bassetlaw Learning Centre. As you know, many of our pupils are from disadvantaged areas, all of them have found the school environment too difficult to cope with and have become disengaged from education. Some of them have been permanently excluded from their main stream schools and others unfortunately have been involved in criminal activities.

Sport is an essential component of our curriculum. It affords the opportunity for energetic teenagers to channel their energy positively, learn how to work as a team, gain a sense of self worth and an understanding of fair play, to name but a few benefits.

You and your staff have given our youngsters a warm welcome, offered assistance and advice and provided a venue for them to learn and apply social and interpersonal skills through playing snooker, basketball and soccer. l am particularly grateful to you for making your court area available to us on Friday afternoons and hope others can acknowledge that this is an invaluable community service. l hope that the relationship can continue and as a centre we can contribute to your development.

Many thanks.

Yours faithfully,

Anne Ludlow - Acting Head of Bassetlaw Learning Centre

Testimonial 19:

Energise the Arena Project

Following your first year and a half of operation, I am delights that you are exploring ways of developing and improving the facilities. Your first year performance figures show that you are truly engaged with your customers and the increased usage by all sectors of the local community is a credit to you, your board and the staff at the Arena. I hope that you reflect on this success as the result of a first class partnership between yourselves and the council. It is certainly a relationship that we take considerable pride in and we are delighted with the outcomes to date.
By working together we have enhanced the opportunities available to the community and the Energise the Arena project will protect the long-term sustainability of the building and its excellent outcomes.

Your increased levels of participation have directly supported the strategic aims of the Council and the Local Strategic Partnership. The development of improved facilities will clearly promote greater use and support our mission statement of 'More People, More Active, More Often' and the targets we have jointly set, based on the Sport England Active People survey. You are situated ideally to deliver local services to local people in support of the strategic aims of the District Council and LSP and this project will clearly make you cleaner and greener.

As previously discussed, we will fully support any funding application based on the plans you have shared with us. In addition, I would like to offer our assistance, as a committed partner, in any relevant aspects of developing your plans.

Good luck to you and your team.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Clark - Strategic Manager Community Leisure.

Testimonial 20:

Dear North Nott's Community Arena,

May I take this opportunity to thank you on behalf of Portland's Governors, Alison Glazier and myself, for allowing Year 10 students to carry out their Work Experience during March 2010. We wish to express to you our appreciation for volunteering to be involved in our recent work experience programme. Your help has been invaluable. Without your continued support and that of the wider business community, it would be very difficult to run programmes that help your people develop their skills for work and life-long learning.

A meaningful Work Experience placement, even for those that didn't quite work out as expected, is often vital in helping young people to formulate realistic career plans and ideas about skills for working life. After Work Experience there is a perceptible change in attitude, drive and motivation to succeed as well as the development of general employability skills. These are clearly evident in our students.

The debriefing process indicates that the vast majority of students are very positive about their placement and important skills, attitudes and insights they have gained from the experience. Some even find the prospect of a further year of school a little dry in comparison with what they have just experienced! If it meets with their educational needs, some students may be given the opportunity to continue with a part time Work Experience placement in year 11. This is usually through an extended work placement programme.

All Portland students who successfully complete a placement are awarded a certificate of achievement. They will also undertake further work related learning and enterprise education in key stage four as enterprise days and post 16 options preparation. Our aim is to ensure that students leave full time education understanding of what is required of them in the work place, through gaining a nationally recognised qualification. Most importantly, the young people of Portland and Bassetlaw need the change to aspire and succeed. Thank you for playing a significant role in that process.

We are currently undertaking a review of our work experience procedures to improve the service we offer to our business community. We have already received feedback from students and parents/carers and would now value any comments from our business partners. I would be very grateful if you could spend a few moments looking at the feedback from enclosed and return it completed to the school address above. The feedback we are seeking relates to the work experience programme as a whole.

Yours sincerely,

P Buck - Head Teacher.

Testimonial 21:

Dear Nigel,

Bassetlaw Sports Awards - A Review of 2009

I write to convey sincere thanks on behalf of all Officers associated with the Bassetlaw District Council's Sports Development Team, for the support given at this year's Bassetlaw Sports Awards Ceremony in sponsoring Awards.

This sporting occasion, like so many others, relied very heavily on support from individuals, companies and organisations like you.

The audience feedback we received on the evening showed the event to be a great success and the appearance of our sporting celebrity Sarah Winckless was greatly received.

As you will have seen by now we received press coverage of the event in both the Worksop Guardian and the Retford Times.

Yours sincerely,

Karen Sim - Community Leisure Marketing Assistant