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Hundreds of families supported in last decade by specialist foster team A pioneering fostering support team is celebrating a decade of helping families stay strong in Leicestershire. Established in the summer of 2016, the Dedicated Placement Support Team (DPST) has played a vital role in supporting more than 700 families over the years. The Leicestershire County Council service aims to strengthen relationships by offering practical support to young people in care, foster carers and birth families to ensure placements remain strong, secure and productive. Joss Longman, fostering and adoption service manager and founder of the support team said: "The creation of the DPST was an opportunity to really make a difference for our children and young people by helping them on their road to independence, surrounded by carers and staff who really understood their journey." Now an eight-strong team, the DPST is estimated to have supported hundreds of families with a range of unique challenges. The need for the team came following a review of a large children’s home in Wigston that no longer met local needs. Following consultation, it was agreed that resources from the home would be redirected to a more flexible, family-focused approach. Joss added: “I started my career in residential care the late 1980s. I loved it and have really seen the positive impact it can have.” “However, the practice was very much that residential care was the last stop for these young people, and the opportunity for them to return to any kind of family-based care was minimal.” The team works with young people, in-part, to step them back into foster care or home to birth parents. Speaking of the team’s impact, one birth parent said: “At first, I was very wary about letting support into my life. I found it hard to trust anyone. However, I decided to give it a chance – and I’m so glad I did. “I’ve really valued the team’s help. They’ve supported me with filling out forms, applying for benefits, getting a new cooker, and even accompanied me to a medical appointment. The team has made such a difference in our lives, and we will always be grateful for their kindness, patience, and understanding.” Cllr Charles Pugsley, lead member for children and families said: “Reaching this milestone is a great achievement. The team has worked with hundreds of families who’ve been supported through difficult times with kindness, patience and understanding. “Their work is more than keeping placements going, it’s about building trust, giving people confidence and helping children feel safe and supported. You can see the difference they make in the stories families share.” Those interested in finding out more about the support and guidance the county council offers to its foster carers can find out more by contacting the fostering team on 0116 305 0505, or by emailing fostering@leics.gov.uk (link sends email). Leicestershire County Council News Wednesday, 1 July, 2026

Multiple fire crews from Leicestershire Fire and rescue service are tackling a fire on the fourth floor of Alexandra House on Rutland Street in Leicester in morning. This incident is ongoing, and will cause disruption to motorists and pedestrians in the city centre - please factor this in to your travel plans, and expect delays. Rutland Street and Wimbledon Street is currently closed. A spokesperson for Leicestershire Fir and Rescue service said: "At 10:23am, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service received reports of a fire on the fourth floor of Alexandra House on Rutland Street in Leicester. On arrival, they were met with smoke issuing from the fourth floor. "At its height there were six pumps at the scene, including our aerial ladder platform from Birstall Station. Also there were crews from Eastern, Western, Central, Wigston and Shepshed Fire Stations. The incident has now been scaled down. There were no casualties and all occupants have been accounted for." Adding, The fire is believed to have been caused accidentally by an electrical fault, which spread to nearby clothing. Pictures by Leicester Media Online

Cycle into Leicester on Thursday (2 July) and you could tuck into a free fruit breakfast! There’s also the chance to take advantage of a free bike check, and win prizes and rewards. It’s all for Leicester’s Cycle to Work Day, which encourages people to get on their bikes and discover just how easy and enjoyable a pedal-powered commute can be. A programme of events will take place throughout the day on Town Hall Square, starting with a free Bikers’ Breakfast from 8am to 10am. Later, from 12-2pm, a free Dr Bike session will be available – courtesy of Community Cycles - offering basic bike maintenance checks. People who cycle more than half a mile on the day can earn a BetterTicket entry into a prize draw to win a £25 Leicester Gift Card. Additional rewards are available through the BetterPointsapp, where you can earn points every time you walk, cycle or use public transport, and redeem them for treats from retailers, or use them to make donations to your favourite charity. Councillor Geoff Whittle, Leicester City Council’s assistant city mayor for transport and environment, said: “Cycle to Work Day is a great opportunity for people to experience the benefits of cycling, whether they already cycle regularly or are thinking about giving it a try for the first time. “Cycling is a healthy, affordable and environmentally friendly way to travel, and we’re delighted to be able to offer a range of free activities and incentives to encourage more people to get involved.” The day will also highlight Leicester’s free e-bike loan scheme, which allows city residents to borrow an electric bike for a month at no cost. Sign up for an eBike loan scheme on Cycle to Work Day and you can claim 1,000 BetterPoints. For more details, leicester.gov.uk/culture-and-sport/sports-and-leisure/cycle-leicester Leicester City Council News - 01/07/26

Leicester Road in Glen Parva (A426) - is closed in both directions from Red House Road to Dorothy Avenue due to a Road traffic collision this morning. Please avoid the area or find alternative routes. It’s reported that the Air ambulance service is in attendance. This collision involves a motorcyclist. Update. 14:00 Recovery is now taking place. Pictures by Leicester Media Online

Abbey Park is all set to host Leicestershire’s newest festive attraction as the stunning & immersive celestial light trail Northern Lights will illuminate Leicester city centre this Winter. Following sellout success in Newcastle, Manchester and Leeds; Northern Lights lands in Leicester for the very first time and is expected to attract over 70,000 visitors to Abbey Park. Set in the grounds of the medieval St. Mary’s Abbey and the landmark ruins of Cavendish House, Northern Lights Leicester will lead visitors on a jaw-dropping magical journey through a celestial spectrum of illuminations & unique musical compositions. Running for the duration of the festive period, from November 18th to December 31st, the breathtaking experience will allow visitors to appreciate the already beloved surroundings of the park in a magical new light. Visitors can expect a showcase of exclusive art installations, special effects and interactive elements from a high calibre of local, national and global talent with plenty of festive photo moments along the route. Approximately one mile in length, the light trail will host up to 14 distinct illuminated zones along the way with a curated selection of vintage fairground rides & a wide variety of classic festive treats, including mulled wine, hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows on hand to get everyone in the Christmas spirit. In addition to the trail, guests will be able to explore the magical Christmas Village, which will feature an extensive range of delicious food and drink offerings celebrating the very best of Leicestershire’s artisan street food vendors and bars. To celebrate the launch of Northern Lights Leicester, the festive trail is running a limited Kids Go Free offer with two free children’s tickets redeemable per booking with any Off Peak Early Bird Adult ticket. The Northern Lights team are also proud to be hosting two neuro-inclusive evenings for the event, offering more space for the audience with a 75% reduced capacity and reduced audio volume throughout. Held in Leicester’s Abbey Park, the trail will be entirely paved making it accessible as possible for everyone. Northern Lights Leicester is the latest event and fifth festive light trail by award-winning event producers From The Fields, the team behind the acclaimed light trails at Cardiff’s Christmas at Bute Park, Northern Lights Newcastle at Leazes Park, Northern Lights Manchester in Heaton Park and Northern Lights Leeds at Temple Newsam plus the multi-award-winning ‘Glastonbury of the North’ Kendal Calling, now looking forward to its 21st sold-out year. Approached with more requests than ever to bring this award-winning Christmas light trail to locations across the country, From The Fields are delighted to make Leicester the newest home for Northern Lights, inviting everyone to step into a world of wonder, to explore glowing woodlands and experience an immersive adventure unlike anything the city centre has ever seen. Tickets for Northern Lights Leicester will go on sale Wednesday July 1st. Prices start from £12.00 for children & £17.00 for adults. News on Early Bird deals, Kids Go Free tickets and further information can be here: https://northernlightsleicester.com/signup/ Northern Lights will be sharing more information on illuminations, Christmas Village, local charity partners and much more over the coming months. Ben Robinson - Director, From The Fields said: “It’s a real privilege to be delivering a brand new trail in such an incredible location, surrounded by history and heritage in the heart of Leicester. We’ve got grand plans for Abbey Park and we can’t wait to welcome everyone of all ages and backgrounds together to explore our most immersive light trail experience yet. We’re really proud of the Northern Lights Leicester team who’ve been working hard to make this a truly unforgettable experience for all, making it as inclusive and accessible as possible.” - Praise for Northern Lights: “If the cold night air doesn’t take your breath away, these lights will” BBC Look North “The perfect family day out” Yorkshire Evening Post “Manchester’s coolest new light trail.” The Manc “I followed the Rainbow Road at Temple Newsam - and found gold” Yorkshire Post “A mile-long wonderland of dreamy lights and displays that leave you awe struck” The Sun - Follow Northern Lights Leicester https://www.instagram.com/northernlightsleicester/ https://www.facebook.com/northernlightsleicester https://twitter.com/LightsLeicester

The National Space Centre will mark 20 years of its hugely popular Star Wars event with a spectacular weekend celebration on 4–5 July, welcoming more than 100 costumed characters each day from across the iconic franchise. First launched in 2006 after collaboration with the 501st UK Garrison, the event quickly became a standout in the fan calendar. Its inaugural year featured legendary actors Kenny Baker, Dave Prowse, and Jeremy Bulloch — the faces behind R2-D2, Darth Vader, and Boba Fett — and attracted more than 3,000 visitors in a single day. Two decades on, the event has evolved into a fully immersive experience, bringing together an extraordinary community of costuming groups and fans. Today, characters from the entire Star Wars universe — spanning films, television series, comics, games, and books — assemble at the National Space Centre each year, transforming it into a living galaxy far, far away. Special guests include Annabelle and Harrison Davis, both of whom have appeared in Star Wars, alongside acclaimed concept artist Jake Lunt Davies, known for designing fan-favourite characters including Porgs, BB-8 and B2EMO. Illustrator JAKe Detonator, whose work includes How to Speak Wookiee, will also be in attendance. Across the weekend, visitors can take part in an extensive programme of interactive activities. From driving droids and learning lightsaber skills, to creating electronic badges and exploring immersive sets such as a Mandalorian base within the Tetrastar Spaceport, the event offers something for fans of all ages. Guests can also meet characters, take part in a droid hunt, see a special 10th anniversary Rogue One costume exhibition, sit on Emperor Palpatine’s throne, and test their aim with Rebel NERF blasters. With more than 100 characters appearing each day, the event offers one of the most visually spectacular Star Wars gatherings — providing visitors with countless opportunities to step directly into the action. Every event ticket also comes with added value. All visitors will receive a free Annual Pass upgrade, enabling return visits to the National Space Centre throughout the year — although, as one of just five flagship event dates, Annual Passes are not valid for entry on this specific weekend. In addition, a temporary HM Treasury VAT reduction over the summer holidays means ticket prices are currently lower, making this milestone celebration even more accessible. As a registered charity, the National Space Centre relies on events like this to power its wider mission. Every ticket purchased helps fund hands-on education programmes, community outreach initiatives, and the care of the UK’s national space collection. By joining the celebration, visitors are doing more than enjoying an unforgettable weekend — they are helping to inspire future scientists and explorers, ensuring that curiosity, discovery, and opportunity continue to reach far beyond the walls of the Centre. Find out more or book tickets at https://www.spacecentre.co.uk/whats-on/galactic-gathering/

All nine of Leicester’s adventure playgrounds are set to benefit from a share of a new £2 million support fund. City Mayor Peter Soulsby announced the new fund in February 2026. It’s aimed at supporting the city’s play associations as they transition towards making the adventure playgrounds that they operate financially sustainable, without ongoing council funding. The new £2 million fund will provide additional financial support over the next three years to help ensure play associations can continue to offer open access play to local children. Following a process of bidding, all the play associations have been awarded the funding they requested. This will support ongoing costs such as staffing, as well as investment in the playgrounds themselves. In total, almost £1.8 million has been award to the play associations, leaving a contingency of £200,000 to help ensure that the playgrounds themselves can operate even if a play association cannot financially continue. City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “I have been very impressed by the progress the play associations have made to develop viable business plans and generate new funding. “This new transitional fund will give those associations an extra three years to work towards becoming sustainable and self-funding, and I’m pleased that all nine play associations will benefit and receive the amounts requested . “We are only able to offer this additional support thanks to the Government’s fairer redistribution of funding to areas like Leicester. It has allowed the play associations to put forward some innovative and creative plans for the city ‘s adventure playgrounds which I am confident will put them on good footing for a bright future.” LCC News - Published on Tuesday, June 30, 2026

A 26-year-old man has been charged following a collision on the A46 yesterday morning (Monday 29 June). Niks Rogacs, of Acacia Close, Leicester, has been charged with the following offences and is due to appear at Leicester Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday): One count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving One count of theft of a motor vehicle One count of using a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance The charges relate to a collision involving a Mercedes van and BMW 1 Series. The driver of the BMW remains in hospital in a stable condition. Following the collision, the force’s Professional Standards Department was informed, and the incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Leicestershire Police News 30/06/26

Leicester's flagship museum is to close for three days this week to allow essential maintenance works to be carried out. Work to improve the museum’s power supply means that Leicester Museum & Art Gallery will be closed on Wednesday 1 July. It will reopen to the public on Saturday 4 July. Assistant city mayor Cllr Vi Dempster said: “These electrical works are an essential part of the museum’s refurbishment, ensuring that the new spaces and galleries we’re creating have a robust and reliable power supply. “By closing the museum for three days, we can complete the works more easily and efficiently. “I do apologise to anyone who was hoping to visit on those dates and look forward to welcoming visitors back to the museum on Saturday 4 July.” A major programme of works is currently under way at Leicester Museum that will deliver a new suite of art galleries on the museum’s ground floor, as well as a new shop, an improved reception area and a new café with an entrance from New Walk. The £7.9m refurbishment is supported by £766,000 from Arts Council England’s Museum Estate and Development Fund. LCC News Published on Monday, June 29, 2026

Two ambitious Leicester City Council development projects have been recognised at this year's Constructing Excellence East Midlands Awards. The city council took top spot in two categories at the annual regional awards ceremony, which recognises the contributions made by architects, engineers, contractors, developers, and other key players in the construction sector. Hillview children’s home – the city council’s first purpose-built children’s home to be constructed for more than 40 years – was named the Residential Scheme of the Year. Canopy – the ambitious regeneration of five former factory buildings in Leicester city centre into a home for the creative industries – took the Regeneration and Conservation Project of the Year award. City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “This is fantastic recognition for two brilliant projects. We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved in these quite different but equally ambitious schemes. “The new Hillview children’s home has been purpose built to provide wonderful new facilities and dedicated support for those children and young people in the city who need it most. “And, Canopy is another wonderful example of how heritage led regeneration can bring new life and purpose to buildings from Leicester’s industrial past, and help play an important part in the city’s future economic prosperity, “Of course, none of this could have been achieved without the hard work and expertise of the teams that have designed and delivered these often-complex projects, and these awards are a credit to them.” Hillview, located in the west of the city, opened in November 2025 and provides accommodation for five young people between the ages of seven and 17. The purpose-built children’s home has five bedrooms with ensuite facilities, as well as two semi-independent living flats, to help young people leaving care learn to live independently. There is also a kitchen, lounge, sleeping quarters for staff and a games room with 'street art' wall. The £1.8m scheme was supported with a contribution of £800,000 from the Department for Education. Canopy, in King Street, is the result of the ambitious regeneration of five heritage buildings on the former Pilot House. The imaginative redevelopment now provides more than 30,000sqft of high-quality workspace. The innovative new development will support the city’s creative and design sector, becoming a base for businesses with a focus on enterprise and innovation, and helping to support around 250 jobs in the city centre. As well as contemporary office accommodation, Canopy’s tenants will have access to attractive meeting rooms and conference facilities, a co-working lounge, a reception area, an outdoor courtyard and Public – the popular coffee shop and bakery. LCC News - Published on Monday, June 29, 2026

Leicester’s renowned programme of festivals and events is to be boosted with an additional £105,000 of council funding. City Mayor Peter Soulsby has approved the permanent increase to the festivals budget, which will allow more community-led events to receive grant-funding from the council, while supporting popular events such as the Abbey Park Bonfire and the Eid celebrations on Victoria Park. The new funding includes an extra £65,000 for the festivals and events grants programme, which attracted 68 detailed applications this year. By increasing the grants programme’s annual budget from £165,000 to £230,000, and after a thorough process of shortlisting and evaluation, the council will be able to support 20 high-quality bids that met its funding criteria this year. There will also be an extra £15,000 for the Abbey Park Bonfire to ensure that ticket prices for Leicester’s biggest and best fireworks display are maintained at 2024 levels, despite rising costs. And with funding already in place for the city’s Diwali and Christmas celebrations, new funding of £25,000 has been earmarked to support the community-led Eid Prayers and Festival that attracts thousands of people to Victoria Park each year. Assistant city mayor Cllr Vi Dempster said: “This additional funding means that we can look forward to even more high quality festivals and events in the city that people can enjoy free of charge or at an affordable price. “All of our festivals and events are a celebration of our community – and it’s really important that they are accessible and welcoming to all. “But they also help to build Leicester’s reputation as an attractive destination, drawing in both visitors and investors. “With 20 festivals receiving council grants this year, alongside our established programme of popular events that includes the Riverside Festival and Light Up Leicester, I hope this investment will give the city a real boost.” City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “Our internationally renowned festivals programme is not only extremely popular with local people, it also brings recognised economic benefits to the city. “This additional investment will support a wider range of established, large-scale and community-led festivals and events that will attract many more visitors to our city – providing a boost for local businesses and supporting the vitality of the city centre.” Picture caption: The annual Abbey Park fireworks display will benefit from increased funding this year Leicester City Council News - Published on Monday, June 29, 2026

Detectives investigating the supply of drugs in the Vale of Belvoir have released an image of a man they want to identify. At around 11pm on Thursday 4 June, officers noticed a vehicle parked in Belvoir Road, which they believed was being used to supply drugs. Following a search of the vehicle 22-year-old man and 16-year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply and possession of nitrous oxide with intent to supply for wrongful inhalation. They were later released on bail and an investigation is continuing. Detective Constable Sophie Rowell, the investigating officer, said: “I believe the man pictured may have information about this incident. “If you recognise him and know who he is, or that person is you, then please get in touch as you may be able to help with our enquiries.” You can pass on information by visiting https://www.leics.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ and quoting reference 26*325746. Alternatively call 101. Leicestershire Police News - Published: 13:45 29/06/2026