Five stories you might have missed in Peterborough

Kerry Cassidy is helping run a new arts and sports community hub in Queensgate Shopping Centre

A new shop selling second-hand school uniforms will open in Peterborough thanks to one of the city's youth MPs and Peterborough United welcomed a new manager.

Here's what you might have missed in Peterborough this week.

'Much-needed' pre-loved uniform shop to open

The idea for a second-hand uniform shop came from Peterborough's youth MP Danielle Daboh

A new shop selling pre-loved school uniforms is due to open in a community hub.

The Second Chance Uniform Shop is a collaborative effort between Peterborough City Council, Peterborough Youth Council, youth MP Danielle Daboh, and the Co-op.

It will stock blazers, shirts, trousers and other items, and opens on Wednesday at Queensgate Shopping Centre's Roots and Rise unit – a community hub dedicated to empowering the local community through arts, education, and social action.

Roland Burt said the Roots and Rise hub in Peterborough could inspire other shopping centre managers to host community initiatives

That arts and sports hub could be the "seed to regenerate city centres" across the country, one of its founders has said.

Roland Burt runs the RB7 Arts Centre community interest company and opened the Roots and Rise unit at the Queensgate Shopping Centre last month.

He said it was a place where people could "come and congregate" and he hoped it could inspire other shopping centres to fill empty units with community projects.

Volunteers revive unloved garden with 2,000 plants

More than 50 volunteers helped bring the Sunken Gardens back to life

A city centre park has been brought back to life with more than 2,000 wildflowers and plants.

The Sunken Garden at Peterborough's Central Park was formerly a pond before it was turned into a memorial garden with raised beds in the 1900s, but budget cuts in recent years had left it looking "unloved".

More than 50 volunteers from across the city, including school children, joined the restoration project initiated by Friends of Central Park and the city's Civic Society.

City cable bins to give 'new life' to old tech

Residents are being encouraged to dig out unwanted and obsolete cables

Six cable bins have been installed in Peterborough to encourage residents to recycle old tech.

Angus Ellis, cabinet member for environment and transport at Peterborough City Council, said the aim was to give "new life to those mysterious cables in your home that go unused".

Man's mission to find owner of WW2 RAF notebook

As well as neat handwriting and diagrams, there are doodles of noughts and crosses suggesting AC1 Harding may have zoned out at times

A man who discovered an RAF notebook dating back to World War Two re-launched an appeal for help in tracing the owner or his family.

Mike Richardson discovered the buff-coloured book while cleaning out an aircraft hangar at Sibson aerodrome, at Wansford, near Peterborough, in 2002.

It belonged to AC1 Harding and is packed with handwritten notes and the odd doodle. The aircraftman appeared to be learning how to fly.

Mosques tighten security after harassment incident

Darassalaam Mosque said it had strengthened its security measures since the incident

Mosques in Peterborough will operate new security measures following a religiously aggravated incident at the city's Darassalaam Mosque.

At 06:45 BST on 24 October, a 57-year-old man was arrested for disorderly and abusive behaviour during prayers at the Alma Road Mosque, with around 25 worshippers present.

He was charged on Saturday at Huntingdon Magistrates' Court, pleading guilty to religiously aggravated harassment and assaulting an emergency worker, but denied racially aggravated harassment and a racially aggravated public order offence.

The week in politics

Alex Rafiq said rubbish was dumped under a 'no fly-tipping' sign in his ward

We heard this week that Peterborough residents could face a council tax rise when local government reform is finished. It's because there will be council tax 'harmonisation' with whichever councils are merged together.

Residents in Huntingdonshire could see their council tax fall for the same reason.

City councillor Alex Rafiq has highlighted problems with fly-tipping. He says it reflects a "lack of community spirit" and has asked residents to take on more responsibility.

Earlier this year the city was revealed to have the highest number of fly-tipping incidents in the East of England.

In planning news, a former Turkish restaurant will be converted into extra rooms for a hotel.

Tavan opened in the Pearl Hotel in Peterborough's Lincoln Road seven years ago, but closed permanently earlier this month. A new care home for people with dementia will be built near Thorpe Wood.

A traveller site in Uffington Road, Barnack was refused, while plans were put forward to replace detached homes in New Road with more than 20 flats. Plans to convert the Ailsworth Methodist Church into homes were withdrawn.

The week in sport

Luke Williams has won 87 of his 215 games as a manager or head coach

Peterborough United have appointed former Swansea boss Luke Williams as their new manager.

The 44-year-old has agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal at London Road. His first game in charge will be against Cardiff City in the FA Cup.

Peterborough Sports ended a run of three games without a win by beating Southport in the National League North. Phil Brown's side played over 30 minutes with 10 men and scored the winner in stoppage time.

Peterborough United Women continued their unbeaten start in the Division 1 Midlands league with a 7-3 win over rivals Northampton Town.

Peterborough Phantoms have slipped down to sixth place in the National Ice Hockey League after a 7-3 defeat against Romford Raiders.