Changes to legislation brought about by the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 mean that from today (Wednesday 14 July) it is now an offence to possess certain items such as knuckledusters, throwing stars and zombie knives, even in private. Other sections of the act that will start today include an updated definition of flick knives to reflect changes in weapon designs, and the banning of private possession of flick knives and gravity knives. The rest of the act will commence later in the year, and will bring in new provisions for the control of goods sold online, as well as placing responsibility on delivery companies to conduct age verification at delivery stage. These are important developments that will help us to address the growing issue of online sale of knives. Police and partners will be working to educate the public and the business community regarding these changes in legislation. The introduction of such measures will provide us with further means to help deter young people from becoming involved in knife possession and knife crime. Detective Superintendent Michelle Keen, of Leicestershire Police’s Violent Complex Crime Unit, said: “Today we welcome the changes to the Offensive Weapons Act which will help our officers remove dangerous weapons from our streets. “Our officers are working hard to protect communities, tackle this abhorrent crime and educate people on the harm it causes and crucially, this new legislation will make it more difficult for young people to get hold of knives and other dangerous items in the first place. “If you are a retail business we would urge you to make sure you are aware of how the change in legislation affects you. “Knife crime remains a force priority for Leicestershire Police and the additions to the legislation will support our officers to further tackle serious violent crime. “We hope that the new legislation acts as a deterrent to those who may have considered possessing a dangerous weapon and we would urge anyone with an illegal knife or weapon to take this opportunity to dispose of it safely and anonymously using one of our special surrender bins, they are located in number of locations across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and details of their addresses can be found on our website. “Knife crime has a devastating impact on both families and communities, and cannot be solved by policing alone. We have the complex task of trying to reach individuals motivated or pressured to carry knives and educate them about the serious consequences of carrying a weapon. We know that early years prevention is key to what we do and will continue to work in collaboration with partners, the community and the Violence Reduction Network in our joint commitment to tackle violent crime. “We believe that violence is preventable and that everyone has a role to play. If you are looking for help and support, we want to emphasise that change is possible and there are resources available to adults and young people through our website. “If you are a concerned family member or friend there is also information on our website to help you, including multi-lingual flyers and a 10 step guide to starting a conversation with a young person. The public will be able to hand over unwanted knives to surrender bins at Mansfield House, Spinney Hill, Keyham Lane, Beaumont Leys and Braunstone police stations. The bins are available for people to safely and anonymously dispose of a knife. For more information on the amnesty bin locations please visit Leicestershire Police’s website here. https://www.leics.police.uk/livesnotknives

Transport and logistics business, Gregory Distribution Limited, has acquired additional warehousing capacity at a depot on Hilltop Industrial Estate, Coalville, Leicestershire, creating 50 new jobs in the process. The strategically located facility is Gregory’s first warehouse in the Midlands and currently services 5 customers in both food and non-food sectors. The operation which started in January utilises a fleet of 15 to 20 trucks. The new Coalville facility adds another 220,000 sq ft of warehouse capacity (21,000 pallets) to the previous 1,360,000 sq ft of space Gregory operates across the UK. The Group’s fleet, which includes Hayton Coulthard Transport, ARR Craib and Pollock (Scotrans) now extends to 1227 trucks and over 2000 trailers operating from 46 depots from Devon & Cornwall to the north of Scotland. Gregory Managing Director, Angela Butler said: “As a group we support customers with distribution across the whole of the UK, with a particularly strong presence in the South West of England and across Scotland. A key part of our strategy has been to increase our footprint in the Midlands, and taking on the Coalville site is an exciting development which enables us to do just that. We already have a busy transport depot in Minworth and the Coalville warehouse will supplement this and enable us to serve a wider range of customers.” Key personnel include Contracts Manager Gavin Grant and Transport Operations Manager Adrian Richardson both reporting to General Manager David Stokes. There are currently 30 other employees which will build to around 50. David Stokes commented, “The Coalville operation is really gaining momentum building on our strategy and enabling a national shared network. We have already employed 30 staff but are still looking for more drivers, warehouse operatives and office positions.”

Officers are appealing for public help after a 24-year-old man was knocked unconscious during an assault at the King Power Stadium in Leicester. The incident took place around 11.30pm on Saturday 15 May outside the stadium in Filbert Way. It’s believed the victim challenged a man who had knocked over some barriers. He was then punched in the head and knocked unconscious for a few minutes. He was taken to hospital for an injury to his head and wrist and discharged after treatment. Officers would like to speak to anyone who recognises the man in the footage or has any suspicions about who he may be. Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC 2944 Ahmed on 101, quoting crime number 21*287944.

Event organisers are working with police and the borough council to minimise the impact on traffic. The Betty Hensers Horse Fair will take place this coming weekend of the 24th to 27th June 2021. Charnwood Police said, "The event takes place on land that is privately-owned, and it is the responsibility of the event organiser(s) to decide if an event goes ahead. "Leicestershire Police and Charnwood Borough Council are working together to offer guidance and support to the organisers and the local communities in the lead up to the event and for the event itself." In previous years the event has caused congestion on the A6 as hundreds of visitors came to the fair, causing long delays and interruption to local residents. 🔴 Updated 23/06/21 Just released, is a joint statement from Leicestershire Police, Charnwood Borough Council and Leicestershire County Council in relation to the Betty Hensers Horse Fair. “The Betty Hensers Horse Fair in Mountsorrel is planned for this weekend of 24 to 27 June 2021. “The event takes place on land that is privately-owned, and it is the responsibility of the event organiser(s) to decide if an event goes ahead. “Under current Covid-19 Government regulations an event is permitted to take place with certain conditions being met and if organisers have carried out a suitable Covid-19 risk assessment and put the relevant measures in place. This event is operating as a fair and market which is allowed under the current Covid-19 regulations. “The organisers have made contact with Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire County Council and Charnwood Borough Council to assist them in the planning of the event to minimise the impact to traffic and local communities. “Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire County Council and Charnwood Borough Council are working together to offer advice, guidance and support to the organisers and the local communities in the lead up to the event and for the event itself. Police and the council continue to monitor the situation in the lead up to the event and officers will continue to be in the area on the day of the event itself.”

Organisers of the Beat the Street Leicester game are inviting participants to Go Wild this week! The themed week starts today (Wednesday, 23rd June) with the aim of encouraging local residents to explore their local parks, waterways and green spaces. Players can enjoy double points in green spaces and along the waterways plus there are two opportunities to play nature bingo with Beat the Street Leicester’s engagement coordinator Dave on Thursday, 24th June from 3pm to 6pmAbbey Park and again on Monday, 28th June from 3pm to 6pm at Spinney Hill Park. Already, more than 38,500 people have signed up and have together travelled nearly 300,000 miles. There are leaderboards for school, community, workplace teams and individuals. The top school teams on the total and average points leaderboards in each area will win £250 of book or sports vouchers and a trophy for first place, £150 of book or sports vouchers and a certificate for second place, and £75 in book or sports vouchers and a certificate for third place. Players can also help three local charities to win a cash donation each, by donating points to LOROS, Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre and ADHD Solutions. Beat the Street is being delivered by Intelligent Health and is funded by the National Lottery on behalf of Sport England, Leicester City Council, and the Canal and River Trust. Cllr Vi Dempster, Leicester City Council assistant city mayor and lead member for health, said: “ We are enjoying seeing people playing the Beat the Street game and exercising more and exploring new areas. The game really has opened up the idea of exploring the city on foot or by bike, which reveals new areas and parks you might not have known about, even if you’ve lived here for years.” Prof Ivan Browne, Leicester’s director of Public Health added: “It’s great to see people out and about enjoying Beat the Street once again. We’re already hearing great feedback with many people implementing healthy lifestyle choices, Phil Mulligan, regional director for the Canal & River Trust, added: “Beat the Street is a positive and community-focused way of encouraging people to get more active, by walking, cycling, rolling and wheeling around Leicester and exploring its green spaces and waterways.” Anyone of any age is invited to take part in the free game and you can still get involved for the remaining weeks. Just pick up a card from one of the distribution points listed at www.beatthestreet.me/leicester to register your card. Then join a team and get playing!

A BRAND NEW SPARKLING ITV SHOW, HOSTED BY GOK WAN, IS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE IN LEICESTER WHO NEED EXPERT JEWELLERY HELP! Do you have jewellery that you never wear? Would you like to SELL, FIX, or MAKE your jewellery into something new? Or are you looking to BUY a special bit of bling and could do with expert advice? Whatever the jewellery dilemma, Gok Wan, along with a line-up of some of the finest jewellery experts in the UK, is here to help. Is it a beautiful birthday gift or the perfect engagement or wedding ring you're looking to BUY? Do you have a stash of gold or gemstones you'd like to SELL and use the money to buy something new? Is grandad's old watch stuck in a drawer since it stopped ticking and you’d like to get it FIXED? Have you inherited jewellery that you want to MAKE into something new? Have you got a load of old sparkles you'd like to make into a customised dog collar for a very special pooch? Sign up and be in with a chance of visiting some of the finest jewellery experts in the UK for the answers to all your jewellery needs. APPLY TO BE ON THE TV SHOW HERE: https://b1.etribez.com/ag/twofour9/bling/welcome.html Applicants must be 18+ (or accompanied by an Adult). ITV Participation Terms apply, go to itv.com/terms.

Emergency alerts will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby. In an emergency, your phone or tablet will receive an alert with advice about how to stay safe. Reasons you might get an alert The government and mobile phone networks are testing emergency alerts. You may get an alert if you live in, or travel through, a test area. When the service is live You may get alerts about: severe flooding fires explosions terrorist incidents public health emergencies How it works Emergency alerts are broadcast from mobile phone masts. Every compatible mobile phone or tablet in range will receive an alert. The government does not need your phone number to send you an alert. How emergency alerts work Emergency alerts work like a radio broadcast. In an emergency, mobile phone masts in the surrounding area will broadcast an alert. Every compatible mobile phone or tablet in range of a mast will receive the alert. What you need to know The emergency services and the UK government do not need your phone number to send you an alert. You will get alerts based on your current location – not where you live or work. No one will collect or share data about you, your device or your location when you receive an alert. You will not get alerts if your device is turned off or in aeroplane mode. Emergency alerts are free. You do not need to sign up for them or download an app. You can opt out of some emergency alerts, but you should keep them switched on for your own safety. Phone handsets and devices Make sure your device has all the latest software updates. Emergency alerts work on: iPhones running iOS 14.5 or later Android phones and tablets running Android 11 or later If you have an earlier version of Android, you may still be able to receive alerts. To check, search your settings for ‘emergency alerts’. Mobile phone networks Emergency alerts work on all 4G and 5G phone networks in the UK. Phones and tablets connected to a 2G or 3G network will not receive emergency alerts. Emergency alerts do not cause, and are not affected by, busy phone networks. If you cannot receive emergency alerts The emergency services have other ways to warn you when lives are in danger. Emergency alerts will not replace local news, radio, television or social media.

Leicester and Leicestershire will be paying tribute to the armed forces community with a digital celebration to mark Armed Forces Day 2021. The ongoing coronavirus restrictions mean that the traditional cathedral service, parade through the city centre and flag-raising events cannot take place in their usual format. Instead, the city and county councils, together with the Lieutenancy Office and local Armed Forces units, have again worked together to come up with an alternative way to celebrate Armed Forces Day. The national event takes place on Saturday, June 26, when the country comes together to show its appreciation and support for those within the Armed Forces community, including serving troops and their families, reservists, veterans and cadets. A new webpage has been created, with content paying tribute to servicemen and women, including a video from the Lord-Lieutenant’s Army Cadet, Lance Corporal Saxon Nugent, footage from the 2019 Armed Forces Day parade and a live stream link to the Armed Forces Day service being hosted in Leicester Cathedral on 26 June, which can be viewed through the cathedral’s website. In the city, commemorations included a flag-raising event on Monday, June 21 at the Town Hall in the presence of the Lord-Lieutenant and the Lord Mayor of Leicester. A specially commissioned video is available on You Tube which captures a flavour of the work of the members of the armed forces, flag raising at both the city and county and footage of previous parades held in the city centre. It is available here. Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Deepak Bajaj, said: “It is extremely important for us to join together to continue showing our support and appreciation to the men and women who serve our country and the valuable work they do, which often goes unrecognised. “Armed Forces Week provides us the opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge their service to our country and all those who serve, both past and present, should be immensely proud of the contribution they make.” Councillor Vi Dempster, who is the city’s Armed Forces Champion, added: “Coming from a service family, I am very aware of the work and sacrifices the armed forces make to keep us, and our country safe. “We will always be indebted to them for their dedication, commitment and courage”. In the county, the event will be marked by a traditional flag-raising ceremony at Glenfield’s County Hall which has been pre-recorded, and a link to which will be available on the county council’s webpage from Monday, June 21. This year, the flag was raised by Phil Walden, Chairman of Leicestershire and Rutland Royal British Legion, in the presence of just 20 people, representing serving Armed Forces personnel and veterans. Leicestershire is also supporting the national #SaluteOurForces campaign, which calls on people from all walks of life to post pictures and videos of themselves saluting in tribute. The new webpage has lots of facts about the history of the salute, as well as short video clips from members of all three services demonstrating the subtle differences between their salutes. The Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Mike Kapur OBE, said: “We are delighted to be running the #SaluteOurForces campaign again this year. After so much success in 2020, and engagement from so many people across Leicester and Leicestershire, we are looking forward to putting together another impressive and diverse virtual parade. “This is a simple way for all of us to pay tribute to our local armed forces, not just for what they are doing currently, but for all their hard work, dedication and efforts to keep us safe in the UK and across the globe.” Leicestershire County Council’s Armed Forces Champion, Pam Posnett MBE, added: “It is a great honour and privilege to once again be a part of this national event to honour our Armed Forces and to show our appreciation for their vital service and dedication. “Armed Forces Day is a way for us to join with people across the country to show our support for those men and women who currently serve – both regular and reserve – and to remember those who have served in the past.” The online celebrations for Armed Forces Day 2021 – including information on how to get involved in the #SaluteOurForces campaign – can be found through the county council here and the city council's website here. Watch our Video in Full from 2019

Rupert Matthews The police and crime commissioner, gives reassurance to local residents in Oakham over the week long, Light and Life religious festival on the showground. The owners of a showground have apologised over reports of anti-social behaviour from attendees of a Christian festival being held on its site. Leicestershire police are mointoring this unplanned event in Rutland and have increased the policing in and around the area. An estimated 1,600 travellers arrived at the showground for a Christian religious event called the festival of "Light and Life”. This event runs until Friday the 25th of June. This morning Monday we access the site and surrounding areas to report on this event. McDonalds in Lands End just across the road from the showground decided to close the sit in restaurant, they are only operating drive thru and have also suspended its click and collect service until further notice. Police at McDonalds were actively engaging with the public. The BP - M&S garage have increase security, both McDonalds and the garage refused to give any press statements. The police tweeted earlier last night the following. “Supt Adam Slonecki, from Specialist Support: ‘Due to a number of incidents that have occurred in the Oakham area we have made a number of arrests and will continue to progress enquires. We would like to thank the local community for their continued support.” Police have released yesterday Sunday the following statement. “We can confirm we have received information from local residents in Oakham and Rutland in relation to anti-social behaviour in the area. This relates to a private event which is a legally authorised event on private land between Light and Life and Rutland Showground. With permission from the organiser we will be regularly going into the event and continue to engage with the event co-ordinator to ensure they are covid safe. We would like to reassure residents that we have extra foot patrols, a dedicated roads policing car and a specialist drone team operating in the area. In addition, local officers will be engaging with local businesses and licenced premises. We continue to work with the event goers and organisers to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.” Anyone with any information is visit https://www.leics.police.uk/ro/report/ quoting reference Log 186 of 19 June 2021 or to call 101. A statement from the local council have been release today (Monday 21st June) It has been a challenging weekend for many of the county’s residents and businesses, and I would like to thank all residents for your support and patience. Rutland County Council was not made aware of this event as no event application was submitted in advance. Our standard event procedures require for event organisers to submit an event application and risk statements, which enable partners to review to ensure all aspects of an event – from health and safety, including compliance with Covid-19 regulations through to traffic management – are compliant. Unfortunately, without prior notification, the Council and its partners were unable to do this. We have been working closely with partners, especially the Police, to manage and respond to the immediate issues arising from this event, including putting in place increased patrols across our community. Officers will be undertaking traffic management at key times, including school drop off and pick up, and will also be located at areas that are attracting increased numbers. Plans are underway to ensure minimal disruption to the community at key points in the event, for example the event closing. There is ongoing communication with the event organiser. We have reviewed their event procedures and documentation and will be making relevant recommendations to improve the running of this event to protect attendees and the wider community. Additionally, we are looking to increase the numbers and presence of our Covid-19 Marshalls in our towns, offering PPE to the event organisers to distribute amongst participants and providing PPE to key shops. I truly understand the concern that the events of this weekend have brought to the county and want to assure you that the Council and its partners are doing all we can to protect you. #LeicsPolice #Oakham #LightandLife #RutlandShowGround #RutlandCountyCouncil

Armed Forces Day will take place on Saturday 26 June 2021 and is a way for us to show our support to the Armed Forces family. For more than a decade here in Leicester and Leicestershire we have celebrated Armed Forces Day with a service at Leicester Cathedral and a parade of service personnel, veterans and cadets through the city centre. With Coronavirus restrictions starting to lift, we remain cautious during this time and are still unable to celebrate our Armed Forces in this way. However, there are still ways we can continue to show our support to the Armed Forces family. Salute our Forces As a continuation of last year’s campaign, we invite you once again to pay tribute to the British Armed Forces community, for their hard work, dedication and efforts to keep us safe in the UK and across the globe, by taking a photo of yourself doing a salute. To join in, simply send us a photo or video of yourself or your friends and colleagues saluting. You can submit your images in a couple of ways: Tweet us or reply to our tweets @LeicsLieutenant using #SaluteOurForces or email us at lieutenancyoffice@leics.gov.uk Your photos will be available to view on our Flickr album and will be used to create a virtual parade, which will be shown on the display screen in Green Dragon Square during Armed Forces Week.. Flying the Armed Forces Flag Both the city and county councils will be flying the Armed Forces Flag from Monday 21 June 2021 at council premises. The flag, which marks the start of Armed Forces Week, will fly until dusk on Armed Forces Day, which is Saturday 26 June 2021. Cathedral service On Saturday 26 June, Leicester Cathedral will livestream a service to mark Armed Forces Day. Unfortunately, due to easing restrictions for public events, guests will be limited, but will represent all members of the Armed Forces, including serving personnel, veterans and cadets. You can watch the service via Leicester Cathedral’s Facebook page or on the Leicester Cathedral’s Highlights from previous years Relive the 2019 parade with video footage posted by Leicester Media. Leicestershire County Council News Monday 21st June 2021

A tree trail in a country park providing space for reflection to be opened. A tree trail in a country park that will provide a space for reflection and remembrance for those whose lives have been affected by coronavirus will be formally opened on Monday (21 June). The idea for a tree-lined memorial walk in Watermead Park was proposed by Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council last year, with dozens of individuals and businesses supporting the project through a crowdfunding campaign. Since funding for the memorial walk was secured in January, 58 trees have been planted along a 2.6 mile route that links the city side of Watermead Park in the south, with the county side in the north. The new trees – including aspen, cockspur thorn, elm, hornbeam, maple, oak, rowan and silver birch – now form a tranquil trail through the park. Benches have been installed at regular intervals along the route to encourage people to use the space to relax and reflect. A small plaque on each bench has been engraved with lines of poetry, or a quote from literature, to provide words of comfort or hope. City Mayor Peter Soulsby – who hosted the fundraising campaign on his crowdfunding platform, CrowdFund Leicester – said: "The last 15 months have been extraordinarily difficult, but people have continued to pull together in extraordinary ways. By supporting this project, local people have shown the strength of our community once again. Thanks to their generosity, we have created this living and lasting memorial that will help to acknowledge the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on all our lives – and represent our optimism for the future. I hope that this memorial walk will provide a place for reflection and hope, and that it will be enjoyed by the people of Leicester and Leicestershire for generations to come.” Nick Rushton, leader of Leicestershire County Council, said: "This project brings people and communities together and acknowledges the impact coronavirus has had on everyone’s lives. The tree trail not only boosts the environment but also acts as a space to reflect whilst looking to the future. And I’d like to thank everyone who’s supported it. The support and generosity of residents and businesses during tough times has made it possible and it’s a project we should all be proud of." Local people and businesses helped raise the £60,000 needed to create the memorial walk, following the launch of a crowdfunding campaign last December. By the time the campaign ended on 31 January, around 170 individuals and organisations had come forward to support the proposals. Many people wanted to help create something lasting as a tribute to the thousands of key workers who risked their lives for others during the pandemic, while others contributed to the fund in memory of a loved one. Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, COVID-19 has been mentioned on the death certificates of 2,411 people in Leicester and Leicestershire. Leicestershire County Council News

Residents urged to take care and get vaccinated to prevent further spread Leicestershire residents are being urged to ‘take action now’ to stem a rise in coronavirus rates after cases more than doubled in a week. Figures have risen above the national average after jumping from 15.2 to 38 for every 100,000 people, underlining the call for residents to take care and get vaccinated to prevent further spread. Rates have more than trebled in Blaby District (57.1 cases per 100,000 population) and Charnwood (57.6) over the same period and compare to the national average of 32.4/100,000 The picture in Leicestershire has worsened quickly and we could be in for a bumpy ride if we don’t take action now. "We are seeing rises – particularly in children and young people and those in their 30s. This is driven by people mixing more and we’re seeing a number of cases connected to barbecues and parties. And also because like the rest of the country, the more transmissible delta variant is the dominant strain in Leicestershire. We’re in a better position compared to the start of the year. I know it’s been a tough 15 months but the pandemic isn’t over. If you’re getting together with friends and family, take care, make sure you’re doing the right thing by meeting up sensibly, and crucially, take the opportunity to get vaccinated." Mike Sandys, county council director of public health To stop the spread of coronavirus, people are urged to: Get tested if you have symptoms and isolate – book a test Get vaccinated – and in particular, make sure you have your second dose Take regular, rapid lateral flow tests to help keep your workplace, community and school safe – find out more and order tests Leicestershire County Council News Friday 4th of June 2021