The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
JOHN HOLDICH
I’ve always been a proud Peterborian and firmly believe our city is one of the best places in the world to live, work and visit.
This week I’m inviting you all to be a tourist in your own city and here’s why…..
During half-term last week I bumped into two colleagues in Cathedral Square who were enjoying the unseasonably warm and sunny weather with their families.
One had been to ride on Thomas at Nene Valley, one of the UK’s last few surviving steam railways. The other had been to our magnificent medieval cathedral to take part in a sing-a-long of The Greatest Showman.
And it seems it’s not just me that thinks our city punches well above its size when it comes to things to do, especially for young families.
Our tourism rates increa- sed by a whopping 40 per cent last year, as we continue to shout louder than ever before about all the great things our city has to offer, like the lido, Ferry Meadows, Sacrewell Farm, Flag Fen, Railworld Wil- dlife Haven and Nene Park.
Now spring is just around the corner and our events calendar is about to kick into action, I’m inviting you all to make a pledge this week to imagine you are a tourist and discover the wonderful city we call home.
It’s easy to become lost in the mundane of everyday life and daily routine. By being a tourist in your own city you can find out about the many events and sites of interest right on your doorstep.
You can do this by reading the GO supplement in the Peterborough Telegraph or logging onto our Visit Peterborough website at www.visitpeterborough.com
Our Trading Standards team is dedicated to protecting customers and will take action whenever they gain evidence of rogue trading.
One recent case saw a rogue trader who tricked residents out of thousands of pounds by offering landscaping, painting and decorating jobs that were never fully completed, being sentenced to unpaid work.
Ben Stiles received a 12 month custodial sentence suspended for 18 months and was ordered to carry out 140 hours unpaid work. The judge at Peterborough Crown Court also granted a Criminal Behaviour Order, preventing him from canvassing for work in the future.
Stiles had canvassed door to door across Peterborough, offering landscaping or painting and decorating services and persuaded a number of residents to pay money up front.
After completing no more than preparatory work, he continued to bombard them with various excuses and additional requests to elicit further payments, before disappearing.
Please remember that the vast majority of traders are law-abiding, but be vigilant if you are approached for work unexpectedly and report any suspicions to us.
Nobody likes getting ill and sometimes it can be difficult to know what treatment you need, especially if what you’re suffering from seems fairly minor. This month has seen NHS England launch its Help Us Help You ‘Pharmacy Advice’ campaign, which aims to promote pharmacies as the first place to go for advice on minor health concerns, such as coughs, colds, tummy troubles and aches and pains.
Research shows that 27 per cent of general practice appointments in England could potentially be treated elsewhere and approximately 18 million of these could be treated through self-care and community pharmacies.
Apprenticeships are a fantastic way for a young people to develop new skills as they look to take their first steps into the world of work.
National Apprenticeship Week takes place from March 4 - 8 and as part of this, an apprenticeship recruitment event is being held at Peterborough City College’s Brook Street Campus on Tuesday, March 5, from 3pm - 6pm.
This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in apprenticeships to find out more details and get a feel for careers available locally.