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Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews has issued a statement in response to the ongoing protest at UAV Tactical Systems in Braunstone. He said: "I am concerned by the disruption that has taken place in recent days at UAV Tactical Systems in Braunstone. "This protest has required significant policing resources to manage, and many officers and staff have cancelled leave to provide an ongoing presence at the site, ensuring the safety of the public, staff at the site and the protestors themselves. "The force has considerable experience in dealing with incidents of this scale and the professionalism and diplomacy of all officers at the scene has reflected this. I am proud the training and skills of these individuals is being demonstrated so effectively despite the challenging nature of this operation. "There is a clear distinction between peaceful, lawful protest and violence, and I want to make it absolutely clear that in the case of the latter, robust enforcement action will be taken by officers. Arrests have already been made and our policing teams will continue to utilise the powers that have been disposed to them to deal with violent or aggressive behaviour that is unlawful. "Most of those responsible for these isolated incidents are from outside of the area. It is important we stand strong as a county to reject violence or disorder of any kind, regardless of the cause. It simply will not be tolerated. "The cost of policing this protest is significant and unbudgeted. This is necessary to ensure the safety of those on-site and to prevent further escalation of problems. I have seen first-hand how hard our policing teams are working to carry out their duties at a time when they are facing many other frontline demands in our communities. I would like to reassure you that as Commissioner, I will exhaust every opportunity to secure support from our colleagues nationally and additional funding to minimise the impact of this extraordinary demand on our budget. "As a legitimate local business that brings employment to Leicestershire and injects money into the local economy, UAV Tactical Systems rightly deserves the support and protection of the police. They have offered their full cooperation and will be working closely with officers to support the prosecution of any person or group who threaten the safety of staff. "I am being regularly briefed on this incident from the Chief Constable and his senior leadership team and will continue to offer my full support in bringing this incident to a safe and peaceful conclusion."

The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be broadcast live on a giant screen in Leicester next week as part of a programme of events to mark the historic occasion. Coverage of the ceremony from Westminster Abbey will be shown on the outdoor screen at De Montfort University’s campus on Mill Lane on Saturday 6 May. While the new King is being crowned, young visitors to Leicester Museum & Art Gallery on New Walk will be able to make their own crown or create some bunting to take home with them for a coronation party. Coronation Crafts runs from 11am until 3pm on Saturday 6 May. Admission is free of charge, with a suggested donation of £1 for materials. Celebrations will continue on Sunday 7 May with a special Coronation Party at Leicester’s historic Belgrave Hall. The family-friendly garden party will include hobby-horse racing, outdoor games, and arts and crafts with a royal theme. Visitors are invited to bring a picnic and enjoy it in the hall’s beautiful gardens. Belgrave Hall’s Coronation Party runs from 11am until 3pm, with a £3 charge for children’s activities. People can pre-book online or pay with cash on the day. On Monday, 8 May, the Guildhall will mark the coronation and the extra bank holiday with merriment, a maypole (12 noon to 1.30pm) and Morris dancing. The Guildhall’s Coronation Celebrations run from 11am – 2.30pm and include family-friendly craft activities (until 2pm). A £2 entry charge applies. The fun will then continue at 2.30pm with a bank holiday Ceilidh, featuring music from East Midlands-based 3 Around 3. Pre-book your tickets or pay at the door (£6). Under 16s can take part in the event – which runs until 4.30pm - free of charge. Leicester’s libraries and neighbourhood centres will be joining in too, with events taking place at venues across the city in the run-up to the coronation and on the day itself. There’ll be crowns to decorate at the Pork Pie library (11am-12.30pm, Saturday 6 May), bunting to make at the Central library (from 2-6 May) and a coronation treasure hunt at Beaumont Leys library (from 29 April until 13 May). Children from Folville Junior School will plant a commemorative tree in the Brite Centre’s grounds at 10am on Friday 5 May, a coronation cake will be cut at a musical event at Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre on Wednesday 3 May (2pm-4pm) and St Barnabas library will show the coronation ceremony live on the large screen TV in its new digital and performance suite during opening hours (10am – 4pm). Visitors to Leicester’s libraries and community centres will also be invited to record their hopes for the reign of King Charles III. Each venue will display a Coronation poster, with space for people to post their thoughts. The comments will be incorporated into a book that will be kept in the local studies area of Leicester Central Library. Details of all the events taking place at Leicester’s libraries and neighbourhood centres are listed at leicester.gov.uk/coronationinlibraries Messages of congratulations to the King and Queen can be sent via a book of online greetings that’s being collated by the city council. The online book will be open for signing until 15 May. Members of the public are also invited to join a special Coronation Service at St Mary de Castro church on Thursday 11 May at 5.30pm. All are welcome. Mike Dalzell, Leicester City Council’s director of tourism, culture and inward investment, said: “Whether you want to make bunting for your street party, watch the coronation ceremony on a big screen, or just want to enjoy the extra bank holiday with family and friends, there’s something for you in Leicester over the coronation weekend. “Our libraries and museums have got lots of free and low-cost ideas to help you mark this historic occasion, so check out our website to find out what’s on.” Coronation events taking place in Leicester are listed at leicester.gov.uk/coronation, while the new King’s visits to Leicester over the years are remembered on the Story of Leicester website. Information about how the Coronation Weekend will be marked nationally is available at royal.uk/coronation-weekend The outdoor screening of the coronation is taking place in partnership with De Montfort University and thanks to funding from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, which is coordinating celebratory events across the country. A spokesperson for De Montfort University said: “We are honoured to be showing the Coronation of King Charles III on the big screen on the DMU campus, providing a focal point for people to meet and celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime occasion together as a community.”

Thousands of Sikhs will be taking to Leicester’s streets later this month for the annual Vaisakhi procession. The event, known as Nagar Kirtan, takes place on Sunday, April 30, and traditionally sees a huge number of followers taking part on the walk between two of the city’s best-known Sikh temples, or Gurdwaras. The procession will set off from Guru Nanak Gurdwara, in Holy Bones, at 11.30am and will make its way across the city to arrive at the Guru Tegh Bahadur Gurdwara, East Park Road, at around 3pm. It will follow a route comprising Great Central Street, Vaughan Way, St Nicholas Circle, St Nicholas Place, High Street, Clock Tower, Gallowtree Gate, Granby Street, Northampton Street, Charles Street, St Georges Way, Swain Street, Sparkenhoe Street, St Peters Road, East Park Road, Leicester Street and Roseberry Street. Rolling road closures are being put in place along the route to enable the procession to pass safely. Nagar Kirtan is one of the major events on the Leicester Sikh community’s calendar, with up to 10,000 people expected to take part. Watch our video from 2019 here

A national brain injury charity urgently needs more volunteers in Leicestershire to help it continue its vital work supporting brain injury survivors and their loved ones. Headway – the brain injury association is a UK-wide charity that works to improve life after brain injury by providing vital support, advocacy, and information services, including community outreach and respite care to brain injury survivors and their families. It has charity shops in Hinckley, Ashby, Loughborough and Wigston. Each of Headway’s charity shops is looking for friendly people to volunteer their time in several ways, including greeting and serving customers, sorting donations, and ensuring the shop floor remains tidy and welcoming. Headway UK Hinckley Store Manager Tara Read, said: "In recent months, we've seen increased footfall in Headway's charity shops potentially due to the cost-of-living crisis. As a result, we urgently need more kind, positive people to join our much-valued teams at the Headway UK charity shops in Leicestershire. No experience is necessary, and we would be pleased to provide volunteers with training and support.” Every year, around 350,000 people are admitted to hospital with a brain injury. That's one every 90 seconds. Brain injuries can be sustained in several ways, including as a result of a stroke, brain tumour or accident. Tara added: “The money raised from sales in our charity shops goes a long way towards ensuring vital care remains in place for those affected by brain injury. We also know that volunteering has many benefits, not just for the charities receiving the support, but for the volunteers themselves. Volunteering can help you learn new skills, make new friends, and feel more connected to your community. We'd love to hear from you if you can spare us a few hours a week. Not only will you help us keep up with increased customer demand, but you will also become an important part of helping Headway to improve life after brain injury." To find out more about volunteering at the Headway UK Leicestershire charity shops, please call the shops directly, or pop in and see the team. Headway UK Ashby 01530 564949, 60 Market Street, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire LE65 1AN Headway UK Hinckley 01455 636 639, 6 Station Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire LE10 1AW Headway UK Loughborough 01509 231 247, 26 – 32 Biggin Street, Loughborough LE11 1UA Leicestershire Headway UK Wigston 0116 288 3352, 3 The Arcade, Unit 5 Magna Shopping Centre, Wigston, Leicester LE18 1NZ

England's patron saint will be celebrated this month as Leicester’s family-friendly St George’s Festival returns to Orton Square. The packed programme of activities in and around the city’s Cultural Quarter gets under way at 12 noon on Saturday 22 April, with a welcome from the Lord Mayor and dancing from the Leicester Morris Men. There will be lots of things to see and do, including a dragon trail, a falcon with its handler, puppetry, circus skills and stilt walking, as well as arts and crafts, maypole dancing, and storytelling inspired by St George and the Dragon. It wouldn’t be St George’s Day without a dragon, and visitors to Orton Square will be able to meet not one but two: Sapphire the Dragon will join the fun at 1pm, while Blaze the Mighty Dragon will make his entrance at 2.10pm. Young children are invited to turn up to the event dressed as knights, princesses or dragons so they’re ready to take part in a costume parade at 3pm. Those wishing to take part are asked to register at the information point in Orton Square by 2.45pm. Elsewhere in the Cultural Quarter, LCB Depot on Rutland Street will host a Textiles Takeover until 4.30pm, where visitors will be able to learn embroidery, knitting and crochet skills. Refreshments, including a special St George’s menu, will be available from its coffee shop. Watch our event video from last year here. There’ll be medieval crafts at Curve, creative crafts and live music at The Exchange, and cricket reimagined from 11am-1pm, thanks to Sixes Social Cricket. St George’s Orthodox Serbian Church will be open to visitors from 12 noon – 4pm, while award-winning restaurant Chutney Ivy gets into the spirit of the occasion by adding a Dragon Fiery Feast to its lunchtime menu. The makers at Makers’ Yard will be showcasing their arts and crafts from 12 noon until 4pm, Phoenix Cinema & Arts Centre will create a digital dragon, while the Two Queens Gallery will welcome visitors to its studios. “St George’s Festival is always a great day out for the family and a fantastic way to explore Leicester’s Cultural Quarter,” said Leicester City Council’s senior festival & events officer Kellie Bugby. “This year, we’re grateful for the support of even more businesses in the area, which means there are more events at more venues than ever before. “Don’t forget that our festival will take place on Saturday 22 April – that’s the day before St George’s Day, so make sure you don’t miss it! There will be lots of free activities on offer, both in Orton Square and in nearby venues, that I hope people of all ages will be able to enjoy together.” A free programme for the St George’s Festival, which runs from 12 noon to 5pm on Saturday 22 April, can be picked up from the Visit Leicester information centre at 4A St Martins (LE1 5DB). Details are also available online at visitleicester.info Download the Festival Guide here

A national brain injury charity has issued an urgent appeal for donations as its charity shops struggle to fill the shelves. Headway UK has charity shops in Ashby, Hinckley,Loughborough and Wigston. It says it's in desperate need of quality winter clothes and bric-a-brac to help the charity continue its vital work providing support to brain injury survivors and their loved ones. Carol Tennet, Headway's Head of Retail, said: "In the last six months, we have seen a 10 per cent decline in donations across Headway's charity shops. Whilst we don’t know the exact cause of the decline, we do believe this is one of the many results of the cost-of-living crisis. "10 per cent is a huge drop in donations and the impact on our shops is vast. We are also seeing a six percent increase in the number of customers coming through our doors, so we are really facing challenging times at the moment. “We urgently need more donations so that our charity shops can keep up with demand as well as continuing to support those affected by life-changing brain injuries.” Headway – the brain injury association is the UK-wide charity that works to improve life after brain injury by providing vital support, advocacy, and information services. Its network of groups and branches offer a wide range of services, includingcarer support, social re-integration, community outreach, fundraising, and respite care to brain injury survivors and their families. The Headway UK Ashby Shop Manager Fiona Ackland said: "As the days get colder, the nights get longer, and the heating bills get bigger, everyone is desperately searching for warm winter clothing to keep the chills at bay. We would particularly welcome donations of good quality jumpers, coats, tops, trousers, and bric-a-brac. "Every year, around 350,000 people are admitted to hospital with a brain injury. That's one every 90 seconds. The money raised from sales in our charity shops goes a long way towards ensuring vital care remains in place for those affected by brain injury. So please think of Headway if you are making way for Santa or clearing space for relatives to visit this Christmas." Donations should be delivered to the Headway charity shops. The Headway UK charity shops can be found in the following locations: http://www.rehab-recovery.co.uk/ 60 Market Street, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire LE65 1AN, tel 01530 564949, 6 Station Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire LE10 1AW, tel 01455 636 639, 26 – 32 Biggin Street, Loughborough LE11 1UALeicestershire, tel 01509 231 247, 3 The Arcade, Unit 5 Magna Shopping Centre, Wigston, Leicester LE18 1NZ, tel 0116 288 3352 . Headway is always looking for new people to join its friendly team of volunteers. If you can spare even a few hours a week, you could help make a big difference to the lives of people living with brain injuries while learning new skills and making new friends. To find out more, visit https://www.headway.org.uk/donate/volunteer/.

Developer Barratt Homes has sold its 50th property on the second phase of a new housing development in Hugglescote, as the neighbourhood continues to take shape. Barratt Homes is building a range of three, four and five bedroom homes at Grange View, off Grange Road, with over 40% of the properties on the second phase of the development now sold. The developer is encouraging potential buyers to visit the development, with site and show home tours available to those who book appointments with its Sales Advisers. Martyn Parker, Sales Director at Barratt Homes North Midlands, said: “Grange View has proven very popular so far, with a fantastic selection of thoughtfully designed homes available to suit all types of purchasers. “We’re finding the development is a big hit with families, and we would encourage any house hunters who are interested in finding a home in the area to come and take a look around our beautiful show homes to view them first hand.” Grange View lies on the outskirts of Hugglescote, close to the River Sense, which means residents can connect with nature at the nearby National Forest and enjoy the public greens on their doorstep. Traditional family-owned shops are in close proximity, as well as high street favourites, cafes and plenty of supermarkets nearby for day-to-day convenience. For those seeking leisure facilities, Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre has recently opened to the public and is located just over two miles from the development. The 850-acre Bradgate Park is also located less than 10 miles from Grange View in northwest Leicester. Developers Barratt Homes North Midlands and David Wilson Homes East Midlands have injected more than £3.8 million of investment into the local community, to help improve local facilities and infrastructure around the development. There are plenty of schemes house hunters can use to help them when reserving a property at a Barratt Homes development, including Part Exchange and Movemaker, both of which are designed to make the moving process that much simpler for buyers. To find out more about the homes available atGrange View, which are priced from £314,955, call the Barratt Homes sales team on 033 3355 8472. For more information about any developments in the area, visit the website at Barratt Homes in Leicestershire.

MUM-OF-THREE SET TO ACHIEVE BUSINESS DREAMS AFTER TV APPEARANCE In the current Dragon line-up, owner of Mood Bears, Jo Proud, becomes first Dragons’ Den contestant to accept backing from all five Dragons Mood Bears’ teddy bears designed to provide important mental health boost for adults and children Jo Proud's own mental health challenges led to the creation of business A mum-of-three is seeing her business dreams turn to reality after an appearance on BBC One programme Dragons’ Den tonight. Jo Proud (44)- who owns Mood Bears - became the first contestant to accept the backing of all five of the current line-up of Dragons - Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Sara Davies, Steven Bartlett and Touker Suleyman. The Leicester businesswoman, who runs Mood Bears with her husband Nathan, accepted £20,000 investment in return for a combined 25% of her business. Jo has created a collection of colourful teddy bears, each representing a different mood, in line with the moods and emotions experienced by everyone. All bears also come with an uplifting message and poem designed to help their owner cope with different emotional moments in life. She said, “I love these bears with all of my heart. I drew the first mood bear at a time when I felt a real hopelessness about life, and I was struggling to see a way forward. When I had that one first bear made, it was the first time in months that I felt like smiling. And since launching the business, I’ve seen the bears have a similar impact on so many people, it’s just amazing. “To know that all five of the Dragons - all such amazing entrepreneurs - like and believe in my business just means the world to me and gives me so much confidence for the future. The impact that their collective knowledge, expertise and contacts will have on my business will be immense. I look forward to working with all of them to help the bears bring joy and hope to as many people as possible around the world.” To find out more about Mood Bears visit https://www.moodbears.co.uk/

Inventive youngsters at Cosby Primary School have learnt all about bees and biodiversity after winning a prestigious national competition. The school is also set to adopt its own beehive as part of the prize, after coming first in the UK Intellectual Property Office’s ‘Wallace & Gromit’s Cracking Ideas Competition’. On a bright morning in March, the pupils and their teachers were treated with a prize which saw them adopt no less than 10,000 bees and a sustainably built home for the pollinators. The bees will be based in the green hills of Neath, home to South Wales based company Bee1. Throughout the year the pupils and teachers will view live stream footage of their hive and receive updates from their dedicated beekeeper. Pupils and staff also rolled up their sleeves and took to creating eco-friendly bee bombs which will now spread wildflower seeds around the local community. The pupils at Cosby Primary School – aged 4-11 - took to the drawing board last year and invented over 200 sustainable and fun new modes of transport for the famous invention loving duo - Wallace and Gromit, powering them over 1000 miles on a virtual journey around the UK. Many of the competition entries were inspired by the humble bumble bee and natural environment. Debra Gibson, Art and Design Technology Lead, Cosby Primary School said: “Both children and staff were thrilled and excited to have the opportunity to invite our own beekeeper from 'Bee1' into our school, to tell us about our beehive and bees, which was one of the fantastic competition prizes. The children were amazed to learn that our school has adopted 10,000 bees and had lots of interesting questions for our beekeeper.Our children and staff in reception were also delighted to be able to take part in a workshop ran by our beekeeper and competition organisers to make 'bee bombs' to plant around the school and try some of the honey produced by our bees. We will look forward to learning more about bees, receiving regular updates about what our bees are up to and of course some more honey! Mark Douglas, Founder, Bee1, said: “We were delighted to support the IPO schools’ competition by providing the school challenge prize to Cosby Primary school. The school has received lots of educational resources, some practical Bee related activities, plus their own school beehive with ten thousand honeybees. Pollinators play such a crucial role to our eco systems, and are under threat. Thanks to the IPO for the support.” As the great inventors of the future are in the classroom, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) believes it’s important to foster a spirit of invention in young people whilst raising the awareness and understanding of Intellectual Property (IP) rights, such as patents, trademarks copyright and designs. In partnership with Aardman animations, the annual Cracking Ideas Competition aims to equip the next generation with the tools and skills needed to secure their future and help make life better for all. Laurien Webb, Senior Campaigns Manager, IPO said: “All the young inventors at Cosby Primary School been able to explore the design process, invent some fun and innovative modes of transport and understand the value of their ideas. The feedback we have received from teachers and parents across the UK has confirmed that the next generation are truly going to be a cracking bunch of inventors” The IPO have just launched their 14th Cracking Ideas competition along with multi-Academy Award® and BAFTA® award winning studioAardman. Rachael Peacock, Senior Brand Manager, Aardman, said: “We are thrilled that Wallace & Gromit will be inspiring the next generation of inventors in this special anniversary year. It’s been 30 years since the Techno Trousers first appeared in The Wrong Trousers and they’ve become one of the most loved contraptions to have appeared in a Wallace & Gromit adventure. We are really excited to see what the young minds come up to put the right back into Wrong!” If you know any budding inventors ages 4 to 11 that would love to get their hands on some cracking prizes, make sure you visitwww.crackingideas.com or follow the IPO Education – Cracking Ideas social media channels to find out more.

A FREE electric bus service that will connect transport hubs, shopping areas and visitor attractions in Leicester city centre will be launched next week, making it much easier for people – especially those with mobility difficulties – to get around. From Monday (3 April), the new Greenlines Hop! service will link the train station with the city’s bus stations and destinations including Leicester Market, the Highcross shopping centre, the King Richard III Visitor Centre, the LRI and Mandela Park. Three zero-emission green buses – each seating 21 passengers – will operate every 10 minutes on an anti-clockwise loop, with 12 stops along the route. Running from 8am-6pm from Monday to Saturday, the new buses will be fitted with electronic information displays, next stop announcements, WiFi and USB charging at each seat, while each of the stops will offer real-time information displays and text-to-speech facilities. Branded with a friendly frog motif, the Hop! buses will also have a unique sound, with all three buses fitted with a distinctive ‘ribbit’-effect bell. The city council will launch the free service on an 18-month trial basis as one of its Leicester Buses Partnership commitments. Director of planning, development and transportation Andrew Smith said: “This free, green and sustainable travel option will give many people - particularly those with mobility issues – much easier access to key sites around the city centre. “Since we announced the new Hop! service a fortnight ago, public reaction has been extremely positive, with people welcoming the idea of a free, shuttle linking Leicester’s transport hubs with popular destinations. “We’ll be monitoring usage and evaluating feedback during the trial, and hope that people will enjoy using these latest additions to Leicester’s growing fleet of electric buses.” Three fully-accessible zero-emission electric midi buses, costing around £1million, have been purchased for the Hop! scheme, thanks to a successful bid for funding from the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund. Centrebus have been contracted to operate the service, with the city council funding the scheme and its promotion with a budget of around £325,000. David Brookes, commercial and operations director at Centrebus, said: “Hop! will be the latest addition to the ever-increasing network of electric bus routes in Leicester. It will not only provide a new and sustainable way to get around the city centre, but will also contribute to better air quality and reduce carbon emissions. “Centrebus are proud to be working with the city council on this project. We hope the service will prove popular with passengers and we’re excited to launch these new electric vehicles in the city centre.” Louise Collins, senior stakeholder manager for independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Transport Focus welcomes the launch of Hop! services by Leicester Buses Partnership, providing free bus services around Leicester city centre. This is a great initiative that gives passengers what they want – a frequent and reliable service that links key transport hubs with popular destinations. “This will go a long way to help people see that buses are an attractive way to make journeys that are good for air quality and the environment.” More information about Hop! is available at leicesterbuses.co.uk/hop The Hop! service is the latest addition to Leicester’s Greenlines network. Electric buses are already operating on the Hospital Hopper service, the Orbital service, and the Park & Ride services at Birstall, Meynell’s Gorse and Enderby. Subject to funding availability, Greenlines will be expanded over the next eight years, helping to improve the city’s air quality, cut emissions, and make high-quality sustainable public transport accessible to all. It forms part of the range of projects being delivered by the Leicester Buses Partnership to improve public transport, reduce congestion and better connect people to home, work and leisure. The Leicester Buses Partnership was launched in April 2022 to bring together all the local bus operators and Leicester City Council, to work jointly on addressing both the city’s transport needs and its environmental responsibilities.

Leicester's historic railway station is set for a radical overhaul and more details and new images of the ambitious proposals have now been released for people to explore. The multi-million-pound project aims to revitalise and restore the landmark station building, improve facilities for passengers and create a more accessible and attractive gateway into the city. The proposed project is backed by £17.6million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund which aims to invest in infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK. Now, details of the proposed railway station redevelopment have been published by Leicester City Council, which is leading the project in partnership with East Midlands Railway (EMR) and Network Rail. A new website – at www.leicester.gov.uk/Station – invites people to explore and feedback on how the station’s improved ticket hall, redeveloped porte-cochere, new public square and relocated entrance on Station Street will look following the ambitious revamp. People can also find out more about the proposed redevelopment at two drop-in public events later this month. The first will be held at the railway station, in the porte-cochere area, on Wednesday 22 March, from 2-7pm. A second event will be held at Highcross shopping centre on Thursday 23 March, between 9am and 2pm. Under the plans, the area outside the entrance will be remodelled with a ramp and steps leading up to the main entrance to the main concourse and ticket hall. The ticket hall itself will be re-configured and opened up to provide more space for passengers. New skylights will be installed in place of the existing suspended ceiling to further enhance the sense of space and let more natural light into this part of the building. Station Street will be closed to traffic and replaced with an attractive new pedestrianised open space, with trees and landscaping, that will link directly to the Granby Street super crossing and into the city centre. Taxis will be relocated from inside the existing covered main entrance hall – or porte-cochere – to a new purpose-built looped taxi rank area off Fox Street, immediately adjacent to the new entrance. This will free up the glass-roofed porte-cochere to be revamped as an attractive new plaza for cafes, bars or retail. The original Station Street façade of the Grade II-listed station building will also be revealed and carefully restored back to its Victorian glory. This will require the demolition of the Parcel Yard pub building and the next-door taxi office. A new secure cycle store will be created close to the new entrance. City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “Leicester’s railway station is a beautiful building but needs a radical overhaul to help it meet the needs of a modern city the size of Leicester. “We have been working closely with rail industry partners to develop ambitious plans to revamp and revitalise the station. It is a major project that will make a huge difference to the city. The award of almost £18million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund is a tremendous endorsement of the importance of this project. “I’d urge anyone interested in our ambitious plans to transform this landmark, historic building to visit the new website, explore the ambitious proposals and their say on this exciting project.” Will Rogers, Managing Director for East Midlands Railway said: “We’re excited to work alongside Leicester City Council and Network Rail to significantly improve the facilities for our customers. “The investment will see the iconic Leicester railway station restored back to its Victorian glory. The development will transform Leicester railway station, as the gateway to the city, by encouraging integration with the surrounding community and offering an improved customer experience to all station visitors.” Gavin Crook, Principal Programme Sponsor for Network Rail’s East Midlands route, said: “This exciting project will transform Leicester station entrance, bringing better facilities and creating a fitting gateway to the city. “We’ll continue to work closely with Leicester City Council and East Midlands Railway to deliver these ambitious, major improvements for passengers.” It is estimated that Leicester railway station is currently used by around five million passengers each year. This is forecast to increase by around 60 per cent over the next 20 years. Planning and listed building consent will also be required before work can start on site. If given the go-ahead, work is expected to start on-site later this year. The online guide to the Leicester railway station development proposals is available at www.leicester.gov.uk/Station People will have until Monday 10 April to leave feedback.

Three new crime-fighting canines are hitting the streets of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Police Dog (PD) Echo, Izzy and Reggie are now fully-fledged general-purpose police dogs after recently passing an intense 13-week training programme. Working alongside their handlers – who have a total of more than 30 years’ experience in policing – the two-year-old German Shepherds will be deployed to incidents to help track offenders, locate evidence, find missing people and protect officers in potentially dangerous situations. The three new recruits were specially selected by one of the force’s most experienced dog trainers, Leigh Emerson. Leigh has been instrumental in helping to prepare the new policing partners for operational duty and during the past week the pairs have started to put their training to use while out on their first shifts. In particular, PD Echo’s skills have already led to a vital piece of evidence being discovered – helping officers to be able to charge a man for a serious offence. “I am extremely proud of the work all three of the dogs and their handlers have put in over the past few months,” said Leigh. “Each of the dogs has shown they have a strong temperament and good sociability – key attributes needed for a police dog – as well as a love to chase a ball! “It’s fantastic to see them now ready for duty and I hope they have many years of service ahead of them.” As well as joining the police family, the dogs each recently joined another new family. When not on shift police dogs also live with their handler, who is responsible for their care and continual training – helping to further cement the bond between the two. For PC Aran Gibbs, PD Izzy’s handler, this commitment is part of a role he has set his sights on since joining the force more than 16 years ago. He said: “I joined the police to become a dog handler and I am proud my determination has been worth it. Getting to work and play with Izzy is the best job in the world. We have created such a tight bond already and this is down to the huge amount of time and effort we have spent not only as part of our training but also during evenings and weekends. “This role is not just a job it is a lifestyle. It brings with it a huge amount of demand and responsibility but also a great sense of reward and love.” PC Tom Smith, handler for PD Reggie, said: “I have been an officer for five years but it has been a lifelong dream to do this role. Although Reggie has only been with me for about four months it is like I have had him forever. He has such a cheeky and charming character and he’s settled in perfectly at home. “I feel so privileged to be able to work alongside my four-legged best friend in a role where I get to work across the whole force area.” PD Echo’s handler added: “Even before joining the force nine years ago I was always fascinated by the sheer skill of a police dog and while working as a response officer I got to witness this first-hand on many occasions – this made me want to become a dog handler even more. “Although Echo is naturally talented and loves to work, it has taken months of training to get him ready for duty but it has definitely been worth it. I love living and working with him and the bond between us already is so strong. I am so proud of the skills he has already shown while on shift and I know there will be many more highlights to come.” Inspector Cara Guest-Moore from the Tactical Dogs and Firearms Unit, added: “Police dogs are an extremely valuable part of our workforce and play such a vital role in helping to protect our communities so it is fantastic we now have three newly licensed dogs on duty. “I want to congratulate our new duos on passing their training and I look forward to seeing how the partnerships continue to develop and progress.”