The brave actions of two officers who helped save a life and the dedication of a retired inspector, have been recognised at the ‘Heroes of Leicestershire’ awards. Detective Sergeant Steven Kilsby and PC Phillip Martindale had no time to think when they were called to help a person who was threatening to leap from a rooftop. With no thoughts for their own safety, both officers remained calm under increasing pressure, putting their lives in danger as they sought to prevent a tragedy. Their professional training kicked in and they provided support and empathy until further help was on hand. The nomination said that they held onto the individual for considerable time at a great height and with no thought for themselves, adding that they: “Put their oath at the heart of their decision making. “Their quick actions and extreme bravery undoubtedly saved a life.” Detective Sergeant Kilsby and PC Martindale not only received the Emergency Services Award, but also the overall Heroes’ Winner Award. Retired Chief Inspector Graham Compton received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless contribution to policing but in particular, road safety. Although retired, the 73-year-old still works in force on the traffic management team as a staff officer. He has led neighbourhood community engagement events, inspired community safety enforcement, and promoted engagement events at schools. His nomination said that as a direct result of him “catapulting initiatives into action,” our area has seen a significant decrease in traffic collisions and casualties since 2018. “Graham is legendary in our area. He constantly seeks new ways to help save lives and change behaviours on the roads.” Winners of the ten Leicester Mercury Heroes Awards were announced at a glittering ceremony at King Power stadium last night. Simon Cole, Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police, which sponsors the Emergency Services category, said: “My congratulations go to all the winners who thoroughly deserve their awards. It was heart warming to hear how so many go above and beyond to help others in their everyday lives. “I’m extremely proud of Detective Sergeant Kilsby, PC Martindale and retired Chief Inspector Compton who have shown just that. They represent the best of the best within this force.” Rupert Matthews is Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, which sponsors the overall awards. He said: "It was an honour to sponsor these awards and hear such wonderful stories of courage, commitment, fortitude and compassion. One of the many assets we can be proud of in our county is community spirit and the willingness of ordinary people to show kindness and care for others. "As these awards show, we do not have to run into the face of danger to make a difference - though many recipients did just that. Devoting our time and offering a listening ear is often enough to change a life or at least set someone off on to the right path. "I would like to thank all those who received awards or were nominated as well as the army of unsung champions in our communities whose deeds are unknown. Without your efforts and dedication, Leicestershire would not be the county it is today."

GSSArchitecture are delighted to share that the ambitious plans to redevelop Leicester’s former “Eco House” have been approved! The plans will see a major refurbishment of the vacant building and land in Western Park, creating a new community building to be managed by Western Ward Community Enterprise (WWCE). After standing vacant and derelict for a number of years, the planned redevelopment has already received substantial public support, following a successful crowdfunding campaign which kickstarted the design stage. The significant funds raised by the campaign will allow the WWCE to use the detailed designs and photorealistic imagery provided by GSSArchitecture to support a bid for further national funding. The former “Eco House” was a symbol of Leicester's status as the UK’s first Environment City, which was an example of the latest technologies available within environmental design when it opened in 1989. When developing the initial plans, GSS carefully considered the history of the site in order to respect the environmental ethos of the house, by the creation of a sustainable, eco-friendly and bio-diverse development at the heart of the community. In addition to the variety of community spaces that will be available within Project Hive, there will also be both indoor and outdoor teaching areas, available for use by local schools. Andrew Vallis, Architect leading the project at GSSArchitecture, said, “Working on this project to achieve this significant milestone has been an extremely rewarding experience, with an interesting site and an excellent client, whose desire to do something for the community as a whole has resulted in the success of this application. This approval is a symbol of WWCE’s drive and commitment to bring back a piece of Leicester’s history, as a usable asset for the whole community, respecting the sites past and carrying on the sustainable intentions which have been an important part of Leicester’s story for many years.” Speaking of the recent success for this project, Anna McAuley, Chair of WWCE, said, “This is such a tremendous milestone for the members of the WWCE, but also for the community in its entirety. GSS have been incredibly supportive and offered us unconditional advice all the way through. From this point onwards, the hard work begins. Finding approximately £500K for the build is no mean feat, but we hope that we can forge some fantastic partnerships with local businesses and educational facilities to keep the costs down as much as possible. Anyone interested can make contact via email: info@wwce.org.uk” If you would like any further information on GSSArchitecture, or the projects that they are currently working on, please visit www.gssarchitecture.com

Nearly 300 householders in Hinckley will be offered free security upgrades as part of a major crackdown on burglary. Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews has secured £432k from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund to reduce the risk of crime and make the county’s streets safer. The funding is being invested in the town centres of Hinckley, Castle Donington, Lutterworth and Melton Mowbray - areas identified as having a disproportionately higher risk of street crime – and will see hundreds of homes fitted with high-quality security devices to stop burglars in their tracks. In Hinckley, up to 291 homes will benefit from free security improvements to deter criminals and reduce the fear of crime. Safer Streets partner 24-7 Locks Ltd will soon be visiting residents in the eligible areas of the town to offer measures such as high security door locks, window locks, door alarms and window alert alarms. The PCC is working with a team of partners including Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Harborough District Council, Leicestershire Police, North West Leicestershire District Council and Melton Borough Council to deliver a package of improvements to protect people and their property. Welcoming the project in Hinckley, Mr Matthews said: “Anything we can do to make it harder for criminals to strike has to be positive and I am delighted to have secured this funding for Hinckley and other communities across the county. “This project is about equipping people with the tools and support they need to prevent their homes being targeted by criminals. “We know crime can be prevented by removing opportunity and increasing the risk of offenders being caught. Just as important, however, is alleviating law-abiding citizens of the fear of crime so they no longer feel apprehensive about leaving their homes and enjoying public spaces. “Burglary is a deeply personal and distressing crime and through this unique partnership we will ensure as many people as possible are spared this fate and are encouraged to take proactive action over their safety. “If you are contacted by our security partner 24-7 Locks Ltd, please take advantage of the free upgrades on offer – you simply cannot put a price on peace of mind and thanks to this funding you will not have to.” Executive Member for Housing and Community Safety at Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Councillor Michael Mullaney added: “This is very welcome news and will be a real boost to our efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime in the town centre. Speaking to people around Hinckley, feeling safe and secure in their homes and on the streets is something that is important to them. I hope that this investment in making homes in the town centre more secure will help people their feel more safe in their homes and will help prevent opportunistic burglaries and break ins. “Over £60,000 of this funding will be spent on upgrading our already successful CCTV network, with an additional eight cameras. I would urge eligible householders to take advantage of the funding available to upgrade their own home security.” Overall, Safer Streets will offer up to 1,104 households free security upgrades worth a total of £186k across the four towns while funding will also be dedicated to removing graffiti in Hinckley. Communities will benefit from the installation of new police automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, additional CCTV and additional radios to expand the radio link scheme in the Melton and Hinckley areas. All households within the eligibility catchment area will be informed by post. Residents are urged to call the number provided to arrange a booking slot. The Government’s Safer Streets Fund aims to stop offences that blight communities and cause misery to victims. Nationally, the Government has announced a £18.3m funding package in the second phase of its Safer Streets Fund. A total of 40 areas across England and Wales have been chosen to receive grants to tackle neighbourhood crime and clamp down on burglary, robbery and vehicle theft. Find out if you are in the area covered by the funding: https://www.leics.pcc.police.uk/Safer-Streets

A former youth centre in Leicester is to be leased to an award-winning social enterprise which plans to open a new store in the city. Leicester City Council will lease the vacant building on Marwood Road, in Stocking Farm, for a nominal peppercorn rent to Community Shop, the UK’s first social supermarket chain. Community Shop, which has seven stores across England, has recently been granted planning permission for the proposed new store, which would offer eligible members of the local community high-quality, low-cost food and household products, alongside personal development support. It is hoped that the new store would serve an estimated 750 members and bring eight jobs to the local area. Membership of Community Shop is open to people who live locally, receive welfare support, and are motivated to make a positive change to their lives. Members can buy heavily discounted food and products, which is surplus stock and has mostly been donated by major retailers and manufacturers and may otherwise have gone to waste. Community Shop prices are on average 50 per cent lower than normal retail prices, helping to stretch family budgets further. Money raised from in-store sales is also invested back into a community hub, where members can sign up for personal development support. Sessions on offer will include cook clubs, home budgeting, interview skills and business courses. The building will also house a community kitchen, offering wholesome hot meals to members and their families, and a large, new community space that will be available for community hire. As well as providing the building, Leicester City Council will contribute additional funding of up to £150,000 to support the set-up of the new Community Shop. City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “I am really pleased that we are able to support this exciting proposal. By working closely with Community Shop, we are able to help breathe new life into a long-underused building and provide a valuable new facility for people in Stocking Farm. “Bringing vacant and underused buildings back into new use will be a key part of ambitious plans being developed for the future of Stocking Farm. It’s important that any regeneration of this neighbourhood meets the needs of those who live and work here, now and in the future.” Natalie Brown, Head of Community Shop, commented: “We are really excited to be bringing Community Shop to Leicester, especially during a period when the support we offer is more valuable than ever in helping people through challenging times. We know the store will have a really positive impact on many people locally. “We are hugely grateful for the support we have received from Leicester City Council and the wider community. We are looking forward to working closely with many more local organisations as we make Community Shop Leicester a reality. "Anyone who would like to find out more about Community Shop and the opportunities available, via both membership and external support, should please get in touch.” Details about the opening date for the new Community Shop in Stocking Farm will be made available soon. In the meantime, individuals and families in receipt of means tested benefits are eligible to register for Company Shop membership here. Leicester City Council News Published on Wednesday, September 22, 2021

A labour of love: Bobby’s publishes its first cook book One of Britain’s oldest and most famous vegetarian Indian restaurants is sharing the secrets of its popular family recipes in a new cook book. Cook With Love has been lovingly created by the Lakhani family, which has run the iconic Bobby’s in Leicester for the past 45 years. Compiled by Enna Lakhani, it features many of the restaurant’s favourite recipes, and will be officially unveiled on Friday October 22 at a VIP reception to be held at Leicester’s Morningside Arena. “It’s been a real labour of love for us,” says Enna, the daughter-in-law of founders Bhagwanji and ManglaLakhani who opened the restaurant – named after their favourite Bollywood movie of the era – on St Valentine’s Day 1976. The book is dedicated to Mangla, described by Enna as ‘a woman whose passion for her family, food and life knew no bounds’. “She created alchemy in the kitchen, her small, magical hands never needing to measure ingredients but always producing consistently perfect food. She loved to feed people and instinctively knew what everyone loved to eat, never compromising on the dishes she cooked. “Not only did she have an incomparable knowledge of the kitchen, she remained engaged in everything from current affairs and politics to Indian fashion until her final days. “I learned a lot about the art of cookery from Manglaafter I got married, and she would always tell me to watch and learn, so we could turn it into a book one day. I hope she would be proud of what we have created.” Cook With Love has been compiled by Enna with help from 10 other members of the family, and recognises the contributions of all the chefs and colleagues who have worked at Bobby’s over the past 45 years. There is also a foreword from popular TV comic and presenter Hardeep Singh Koli, one of the restaurant’s many celebrity fans. He says: “To describe Bobby’s as simply a place to eat ignores the role it has played in not only feeding the incoming Gujarati immigrants, but more importantly introducing a ‘different’ Indian food to the local English community.” The book features more than a dozen of the most popular recipes from Bobby’s Deli, along with sections on street food, Indo-Chinese, Gujarati Rasoi, food fit for a Maharaja’s Feast, plus sides, snacks, sweets, rice, bread and chutneys. Situated in the heart of Leicester’s iconic Golden Mile, Bobby’s has become a vegetarian culinary institution, offering a gastronomic journey through the Indian subcontinent from street food to traditional Gujarati thalis. It was one of the first vegetarian Indian restaurants of its kind in the UK, setting the benchmark not only for exceptional, authentic cuisine but for unforgettable hospitality. It was listed in the top 30 restaurants in The Sunday Times’s best places for a curry, and has gathered fans from across the country – and the globe, including Indian cookery guru Madhur Jaffrey who travelled there specifically to sample a rarely served Gujarati dish of Dal Dhokli. Enna says: “This book shares some of the secrets of Bobby’s, while also continuing the legacy of an incredible family, which today includes 14 grand-children and 12 great grand-children, who are all still enjoying Bobby’s food.” A Way With Media, which has published the book, says: “The story of Bobby’s is not simply that of a neighbourhood restaurant. It’s the story of an institution, a way of life, a race to freedom by an exceptional family who made Leicester their home and who came to be a valued and integral part of the city’s landscape. “Filled with easy-to-follow recipes that will equip the novice with new skills and help the experienced cook to improve, Cook With Love is a heart-warming tale with great ideas that will bring culinary magic to kitchens across the UK.” Cook With Love is published by A Way With Media (£30) and is now available to order from www.awaywithmedia.com/buy-books/bobbys

Olympic champion and Santander brand ambassador Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill visited Leicester today to support the city’s popular new e-bike share project, Santander Cycles Leicester. Dame Jessica - who won Olympic gold in 2012 and was World Champion three times, all for heptathlon – was excited to try out Leicester’s popular new e-bike share scheme. Santander Cycles Leicester has already had more than 14,000 people sign up to get riding. The scheme opened up to everyone in April this year, and will eventually see 500 electric bikes available to hire from 50 stations located in key points across the city centre. This will make it the largest docked e-bike hire scheme in the UK. The £600,000 project is being funded by Leicester City Council after the council’s successful bid to the Department for Transport (DfT) – with sponsorship by Santander UK and investment from operator Ride On and their delivery partner Enzen Global. Leicester City Council has a package of nearly £80million, including funding from the DfT’s Transforming Cities Fund, to spend on a range of major projects. They include developing better walking and cycling links, launching the e-bike sharing scheme and upgrading park and ride buses from diesel to electric. During her visit, Dame Jessica enjoyed riding the e-bikes on the people-friendly streets of Leicester city centre. She also met with groups who use the e-bike share scheme to get around – including students, cycling ambassadors and a local women’s group, many of whom only learned to ride a bike for the first time in the past couple of years. Dame Jessica said: “I’m delighted to support Santander Cycles Leicester and promote cycling as a simple and fun way for people to be more active and healthy. E-bikes are a fantastic choice because they make cycling even more easy and accessible, giving you a boost of extra power when you need it! “It’s great to see these bikes on the streets of Leicester and people out and about using them, making the most of the city’s impressive network of safe cycle routes. I hope lots of people will give Santander Cycles Leicester a try and become regular users of the scheme.” Deputy city mayor Cllr Adam Clarke, who leads on environment and transport, said: “Leicester is a cycling city. Our new e-bike share scheme is part of our commitment to cycling and to the ongoing challenge of the climate emergency. It’s also an important part of our covid-19 transport recovery plan. “Opting to travel by bike is a great choice to make – for your own health, for our city’s air quality and for the environment. It also helps to support our local economy, with our growing network of people-friendly streets benefitting small, independent local businesses. “We’ve developed an inclusive, affordable and accessible e-bike share scheme to help to make cycling the preferred option for many of our diverse communities, joining the 18,000 people that already choose to travel regularly in Leicester by bike.” Dan Sherwood, Director of Marketing at Santander UK, said: “We are really pleased to support Leicester City Council in this fantastic initiative. Following a successful trial phase, it’s been great to see the positive take-up of this innovative e-bike scheme and we look forward to supporting many more people in Leicester with an alternative, sustainable and accessible way to travel the city.” Miguel Vital, CEO of Ride On, said: “For Ride On, it’s an honour to become the operator and manager of the e-bike share scheme for Leicester City Council, and to receive support from Santander UK. We have begun a journey that will make Leicester a smarter city in terms of mobility and will contribute to it becoming an environmentally sustainable landmark. “Our system is a highly innovative docked e-bike scheme, meaning that in addition to keeping the fleets organised and parked only at our stations, the e-bikes are also efficiently charged. The end result means we are able to optimise time, costs and our environmental footprint. You will all enjoy the experience!” To use the scheme, you register online, buy a plan based on your needs and then use your smartphone to unlock an e-bike and start riding. Pay as you go, monthly and annual memberships are all available, with prices for a pay as you go journey starting from well under £3 – it costs just £1.40 for the first 20 minutes, plus a £1.20 unlocking fee. So far, more than 28,000 trips have been made on the Santander Cycles Leicester e-bikes. To find out more and to sign up, visit www.rideonleicester.com.

Shortlist of 12 people and places in line for recognition. Boxer Jack Gardner, recent recipient of a Green Plaque Members of the public are being asked to cast their votes to decide on the people and places which will be the next to be honoured with a Green Plaque. A total of 32 nominations were received from around the county, after a call went out for people to nominate individuals and places important to Leicestershire’s past that they feel should be honoured in the sixth round of Leicestershire County Council’s awards scheme. The nominations have been narrowed down to a shortlist of 12 by a panel of judges – and now it’s up to the public to vote for the top six to receive a plaque. Voting is now open and will close just before midnight on Sunday 24 October. The nominees are: Lt Col Eric Bent VC DSO, attended school in Ashby-de-la-Zouch. He was awarded the Victoria Cross during the First World War; Sgt Herbert Ernest Black RAFVR, Second World War bomber pilot from Measham; Samuel Swinfen Burdett, philanthropist and member of US Congress from Broughton Astley; Frances Elizabeth Deacon from Fleckney. She was the first woman to pass the qualifying exam to become a pharmacist; George Fox from Fenny Drayton who founded the Quaker Movement; William Lilly, astrologer and author who was born in Diseworth; Regt Sgt Major Thomas Meredith DCM from Wigston Magna. He was a member of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment and WWII prisoner of war; Military Stables at the Defence Animal Training Unit, Melton; The Pound, an historic site in Countesthorpe where stray animals were kept; William Railton, architect who designed Nelson’s Column and many Leicestershire landmarks including Beaumanor Hall in Woodhouse; Theodora Salusbury, Arts & Crafts stained glass artist who designed stained glass windows in churches across Leicestershire; Count Louis Zborowski, racing driver and engineer who lived for a time in Melton Mowbray. "This is the sixth round of Green Plaque awards, and they always get a fantastic response from the public, who have the opportunity to pay tribute to people and places who have made a mark on the history of their communities. We received 32 nominations this time around, and the shortlisting panel had a very difficult job to narrow them down to 12. We’re now asking the people of Leicestershire to have their say by voting for their favourites – you can vote for up to six. The six who get the most votes will be honoured with a Green Plaque. I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in the voting to decide which historic people and places should be honoured." Councillor Dan Harrison, county council chairman To find out more information about the nominees and to vote, visit www.leicestershire.gov.uk/greenplaques A postal voting form is also available for anyone without internet access by calling 0116 305 4112.

A Leicestershire pensioner in his 80s has just completed an over-60s driving assessment with the county council - and now hopes others will do the same. David Parker with his SAGE driving course certificate David Parker, 83, from Fleckney, took his driving test back in 1956 and admits that a lot has changed since then, so he signed up for the Leicestershire County Council SAGE (Safer Driving with Age) scheme. The assessment is carried out by a experienced instructor and takes about an hour to complete. There are no trick questions or unusual manoeuvres - it’s not a driving test. The assessment takes place in the person’s own car and will start from a home address or a mutually convenient place. He said: “I’m very pleased I decided to book an assessment. Audrey, the driving instructor, did the assessment at my house and we then took a drive around. “After the drive, she talked me through a few points. There were a lot of positives such as my lane discipline being very good, overtaking in the vehicle, and that I keep my car well maintained and looked after. She also gave me some useful advice such as more use of my nearside mirror. “I think it was really useful to have a professional giving me their guidance and advice, which helps me iron out any habits I’ve picked up over the years. I have gained a lot of confidence since the assessment; I am always remembering the advice I got from Audrey.” David regularly drives with wife, Dorothy, to local garden centres, cafes, and to visit family and friends around Leicestershire. David continued: “It was good for both of us to get that reassurance from someone else. I think it is important to say that this isn’t a test in any way. I personally really enjoyed taking the assessment.” "It’s fantastic that David has taken this course, especially now all of us are out and about more and the roads are getting busier. After a period of not using our cars very much, it is good to check that we haven’t forgotten any important driving skills. Our aim is to support mature drivers and our voluntary driving assessment offers that practical help and support to deal with some of the challenges of modern-day driving. There is no pass or fail just an opportunity to brush up on skills and maybe reduce the bad habits we have picked up over the years. Our instructors take the health and safety of our residents very seriously and support mature drivers to continue driving for as long as they can." Ozzy O'Shea, cabinet member for highways and transport The course costs £45 and this includes the assessment, written feedback and any necessary guidance and advice. Book your course Or you can book by calling 0116 305 7233 or by emailing on: roadsafety@leics.gov.uk Leicestershire Country Council News

Rupert Matthews, Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, has responded to the double stabbing in the Highfields area of Leicester. He said: “I am saddened that someone else has been injured through knife crime. Yet again we are reminded how carrying knives causes harm and creates fear in our communities. “I am being briefed regularly on this investigation, alongside others of such a serious nature. I know the police are working tirelessly to both track down offenders and keep communities safe. “But we must do more. I am talking to the Chief Constable and our partners to see how, together, we can develop a suite of approaches to prevent violence. I am working with the Violence Reduction Unit to see how, as a partnership, we can change mindsets to knives and violence at an early age. “I will be discussing the best way forward with local people and organisations over the coming days.” #LeicsPolice #PCC #LivesNotKnives #StPetersRoad #Stabbing

Leicester’s annual Diwali and Christmas celebrations will be returning to the city's streets this year. The city council has announced that the day the Diwali lights are turned on, Diwali Day itself, and the switching-on of Leicester’s Christmas lights will all be marked with on-street entertainment, although in a slightly different format to previous years. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, last year’s events were marked virtually with online content. This year, the council plans to take the festivities back on to the streets, with a new approach that will reduce the need for people to congregate in one place at the same time. The council plans to close Belgrave Road to traffic as usual, for both switch-on day on 24 October and Diwali Day on 4 November. In a change to previous years, the stage usually sited near to the Belgrave roundabout will be replaced with two giant screens located on Belgrave Road showing a pre-recorded cultural programme that will run throughout the evening. A third giant screen will be located on Cossington Street Recreation Ground. This will enable visitors to view the entertainment in different locations and at different times, reducing the need for crowds to gather in one place at a fixed point in the evening. With the covid security of visitors a key consideration, the annual firework displays will be replaced this year with a Fire Garden on Cossington Street recreation ground, and a Global Rainbow that will beam light across the city. Cossington Street Recreation Ground will also host a Diwali Village featuring food stalls and funfair rides. Deputy city mayor for culture Cllr Piara Singh-Clair said: “We have been determined to do all we can to bring the Diwali and Christmas celebrations back to the streets of Leicester, while making public safety our priority. “The new format of the Diwali events means that people can enjoy the sights and sounds of our Diwali celebrations at any point during the evening, and won’t need to congregate in one space. “Our plans for Christmas activities are currently being finalised, but we will be taking a similar approach.” Belgrave Road will close at 5pm on Sunday 24 October to mark the Diwali lights being turned on. The cultural programme will be shown on the giant screens every hour from 5.30pm to 8.30pm. It will include a religious ceremony performed by the Hindu Festival Council as well as entertainment from Nupur Arts and local dance groups. The lights will be turned on before the road closure to prevent crowds gathering. Diwali day festivities on Thursday 4 November will also start with the road closure at 5pm, and the showing of the cultural programme from 5.30pm to 8.30pm. The council is currently finalising its plans around the Christmas light switch-on which is set for 18 November, and other Christmas activities, and will publish these in the next few weeks. The return of the ice-rink to Jubilee Square has already been announced, and this will be in place from 2 Dec to 3 Jan, with tickets going on sale in October. The council’s annual bonfire and firework display on Abbey Park is also set to return this year. More details will be available soon. Leicester City Council News 15/09/21

Leicestershire Police recently welcomed local cycling club members who took part in a mass ride out to highlight the risks to vulnerable road users. Thirty-seven riders helped to promote the Share the Road campaign and cycle club members were offered a free Share the Road gilet which carried a reminder for motorists to pass cyclists safely. The ride out began at Everards Meadows, near the Leicestershire Police HQ, before meeting for refreshments at a coffee shop in the south east of the county. Having a large number of cyclists wearing the Share the Road gilets, which carried this very important road safety message, served as a strong visual reminder to motorists of the importance of driving considerately around other vulnerable road users. Road side signs are also being used to promote the Share the Road campaign, these signs are being rolled out at numerous locations across the Leicestershire Police force area to highlight the presence of vulnerable road users such as cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians. Jonathan Clarkson, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership spokesperson said, “While the recent Share the Road ride out proved to be a great success we would like to remind all cyclists of the need to follow the Highway Code, especially around red traffic lights, ensuring they having working lights if riding at night, having proper control of their bike and point 66 of the Highway code which covers: Both hands on the handlebars except when signalling / changing gear Never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding around bends. Be considerate of other road users. “We would also like to take this opportunity to remind drivers to give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car.”

Two women who conned a local council and a cancer charity out of thousands of pounds have been convicted after a four-week trial. Between June 2012 and April 2015, Kalvinder Garcha, Sharon Reeve and a third woman, Lynn Middleton, were involved in defrauding Oadby and Wigston Borough Council and the charity, Coping with Cancer in Leicestershire and Rutland, out of more than £40,000. Garcha, 50, of Carisbrooke Road, Leicester, was Head of Corporate Resources at the Council and used her position to help her colleague Middleton, 49, of Arbor Road, Croft, create a “phantom” employee. Middleton was Head of Human Resources at the Council when these offences occurred. Both Garcha and Middleton were also board members at Coping with Cancer. Middleton’s sister, Reeve was the “phantom” employee - an individual who existed but never worked for either organisation. Reeve, 50, formerly of Olympic Close, Glenfield, was paid for working for the Council for two years and the charity for seven weeks. The salary Reeve received was then transferred to Middleton. Garcha was also given a cut of the salary. Reeve didn’t actually keep any of the money for herself. At a hearing in July 2019 Middleton pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud and two counts of conspiracy to money launder. More than two weeks into the trial Reeve pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to money launder. Today (Friday 10 September) Garcha was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud and two counts of money laundering after a trial at Leicester Crown Court. They are due to be sentenced to 1 October. Detective Sergeant Matt Swift from the force’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “This has been a lengthy and complex investigation spanning more than four years. “Both Garcha and Middleton abused their positions within both organisations for their own financial gain, with no regard for the fact that they were not only conning a local authority but also a local cancer charity. “We are pleased that this case has now, after many years, come to a successful conclusion and we’d like to thank Oadby & Wigston Council and Coping with Cancer for their support and co-operation throughout the last few years. “Middleton did the right thing earlier in the legal process and admitted her involvement in these offences and also agreed to assist the prosecution. “We hope this outcome reassures organisations who are there to serve our communities that we will pursue any reports of wrongdoing, no matter where they happen or by whom.” Bill Richmond, Chairman of Sue Young Cancer Support, the new name for Coping with Cancer, said: “We are grateful for today’s guilty verdict which draws a line in the sand after a very difficult time for the Charity while the police investigation was underway. “We have supported cancer patients and their families across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for 40 years during what is often the most difficult time of their lives and will continue to do so. We thank Leicestershire Police for their diligence and persistence in bringing these three individuals to justice. We now look forward to moving on to doing what we do best; providing vital services to ensure that the people who need us get the very best help that they fully deserve.” Leicestershire Police News - 10/09/21