RED carpets will be laid across the platform at Leicester station later this month to welcome the arrival of a BODYSNATCHER. But it’s nothing to do with the living dead … just a vintage diesel engine that will be hauling the luxury Northern Belle train. The huge Class 57 locomotives were nicknamed Bodysnatchers or Zombies by rail enthusiasts during the last century. And this one will be hauling the 1930s Pullman-style Northern Belle on a slap-up trip to Llandudno and Conwy Castle in Wales. The train, once part of the iconic Orient Express group, was described by actor Bill Nighy as “the Grand Duchess of luxury travel”. He said passengers had been “lapping up the luxury” when it featured on Channel 5’s World’s Greatest Railway Journeys programme last year. Each of the seven gleaming umber and cream-painted carriages is individually hand-decorated with murals, tapestries and mosaics. One once even used to make up part of the Queen’s Royal Train. Yorkshire businessman David Pitts, who owns the Northern Belle, boasts: “Nothing is too good for our passengers. We like to pamper them from the moment they step on board.” Tickets for the day out from Leicester on Friday July 29 don’t come cheap at £430 each. But for that passengers are welcomed with champagne before tucking into a slap-up three-course brunch on the way to Wales. Then there is another champagne reception in the evening after which a five-course dinner with wine is served during the journey home. The train will return to the city in November for a trip to Bath. For more details see www.northernbelle.co.uk

A defendant whose punches led to the death of a man in the city centre has today been jailed for five years and two months. Joe Baldwin was outside Natterjacks in Braunstone Gate during the evening of Friday 27 August last year when he was involved in a disagreement with 49-year-old Charles Neeson. During the incident, 28-year-old Baldwin of no fixed address, punched Mr Neeson twice which resulted in him hitting his head on the ground. Mr Neeson was taken to hospital with serious injuries and sadly died two days afterwards. The post-mortem examination revealed Mr Neeson suffered a significant brain injury and multiple skull fractures. Baldwin left the scene but was arrested the following morning, initially on suspicion of Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) but following Mr Neeson’s death he was charged with manslaughter. At a hearing last week Baldwin pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced today (Wednesday 6 July) at Leicester Crown Court. Detective Inspector Mark Parish from East Midlands Special Operations Unit Murder Investigation Team, said: “There are absolutely no winners in this situation. What was initially believed to be a scuffle ended in such a devastating loss. “In my experience as a senior officer I wouldn’t say this was a prolonged violent assault – CCTV captured the incident and supporting evidence confirmed that Mr Neeson was punched twice. This resulted in him falling to the ground and hitting his head on the pavement - that impact then led to Mr Neeson suffering fatal injuries. “What this case demonstrates is how the punches led to Mr Neeson suffering such catastrophic injuries. Baldwin now faces a significant term in prison and Mr Neeson’s family will have to live with his loss for the rest of their lives.” Leicestershire Police News - 6th July 2022

The hugely popular Bosworth Medieval Festival is to make a welcome return in August, following two years in which it didn’t go ahead due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The two-day event – which attracts thousands of visitors, re-enactors and traders from across the UK and beyond – will take place on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 August this year, at the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre. The event will once more feature battle re-enactments by the Wars of the Roses Federation – including the Battle of Bosworth as the finale on both days – living history encampments to explore, author talks and a medieval craft market, as well as entry to the award-winning exhibition and free car parking. Destrier’s horsemen and women will be returning with their mounted skill at arms and cavalry display and the fascinating Death of Richard III presentation, which was a huge hit with the crowd in 2019. They will also play a major role in the Battle of Bosworth re-enactments, representing Richard and Henry and their standard bearers on the battlefield. The full programme is still being confirmed and more attractions will be added to the line-up in the coming weeks to ensure that Bosworth Medieval Festival returns with a bang this year. Councillor Christine Radford, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for heritage, leisure & arts, said: “We’re delighted to be able to welcome Bosworth Medieval Festival back to our events calendar in August after two years without it. “It is a great event with lots of activities for all the family, which attracts people from all over the UK and further afield and is always one of the highlights of the summer. Leicestershire has a rich and proud heritage to showcase and the Bosworth Medieval Festival does just that, as well as commemorating the Battle of Bosworth. “I am really looking forward to its return on 20 and 21 August this year. It will be a great event for residents and visitors alike.” The Battle of Bosworth was a pivotal moment in English history, which saw King Richard III lose his life and his crown to Henry Tudor – bringing the Tudor dynasty to the throne. The re-enactment aims to help visitors to learn more about this crucial point in English history, as well as honouring those who fought and died on both sides. Keep an eye on the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre website at www.bosworthbattlefield.org.uk for updates to the programme and ticket details. Picture Credit : Cheltenham Media.

A new fully electric bus service is being launched to provide sustainable transport on routes connecting Leicester’s three main hospitals. The Hospital Hopper service is having a complete upgrade, including replacing the current diesel vehicles with a fleet of fully electric buses, with features such as free USB chargers, passenger information screens and a new eye-catching livery. The electric bus service is being launched in partnership with the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL), and bus operator Centrebus. It is part of the Leicester Buses Partnership - an ambitious bus partnership programme of work between Leicester City Council and all local bus operators to improve services, routes and vehicles across the city. The new Hospital Hoppers will become part of the new Greenlines electric bus network, which already serves all three Park and Ride sites in the city. The new electric Hospital Hopper buses were launched at Leicester’s Jubilee Square on Thursday, June 23, and will come into operation on Monday, June 27. The service will continue to run half-hourly between Hamilton and Beaumont Leys via Leicester General Hospital, Leicester Royal Infirmary, the city centre and Glenfield Hospital. There will also be new bus shelters together with real-time information displays at all stops, and in due course will use a new bus lane being installed along Groby Road . Each accessible bus stop will also have a “text-to-speech” facility giving audible bus arrival times for passengers with visual difficulties. There will also be next-stop announcements onboard the new buses. BBC Radio Leicester presenter Ady Dayman – born and bred in Leicester – will be the local voice giving the real-time bus information. As well as helping to meet the city’s climate emergency goals to reduce emissions, boost air quality and tackle traffic congestion, the new electric service will also help UHL on its journey towards net-zero carbon emissions. The electric buses and other associated new features for the UHL-funded Hospital Hopper service have been financed by the council’s successful Transforming Cities Fund bid made to central government. Leicester deputy city mayor for transport and the environment, Cllr Adam Clarke, said: “The launch of these new fully electric buses is another big step forward in improving public transport in the city, while also striving to meet the demands of tackling our climate emergency. “Passengers will be able to take advantage of free USB chargers, new and improved service information panels and a quieter, more pleasant journey. “Creating and expanding upon this Greenlines network over the next eight years will make a huge improvement to the city’s air quality, cutting emissions and making high-quality public transport accessible to all.” Electric buses reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 34 percent, and don’t emit any particulates or nitrogen dioxide. The overall improvements are designed to make the service more attractive to users, encouraging more people to choose them over car travel. The measures are vital both for the local environment and Leicester's move toward Net Zero. The Leicester Buses Partnership also aims to introduce a network of 30 frequent, reliable, affordable and easy to use electric bus routes over the next eight years. At the launch of the electric Hospital Hoppers, Leicester’s Hospitals chief executive, Richard Mitchell, said: “The new Hospital Hoppers are a great opportunity to work with partners, to reduce our carbon footprint and to make it easier for people to access health care in Leicester. I look forward to using the Hoppers myself.” Centrebus director David Brookes added: “The new Hospital Hopper electric buses will provide an improved journey experience for our passengers whilst reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality in the city. “Passengers will be able to make use of enhanced features such as USB charging ports, digital information screens and next stop announcements. We’re proud to have worked in partnership with the city council and the hospital trust to deliver this project and we look forward to further electrification of our fleet later this year.” More details are available on www.leicesterbuses.co.uk

Leicester’s new, multi-million-pound, net zero carbon bus station at St Margaret’s is due to open to the public next week. The city council has confirmed that the new bus station will be back in operation for local bus users from Monday 27 June, with National Express coach services due to return the following week. It follows 18-months of construction which saw the old 1980s building almost completely demolished and stripped back to its partial steelwork frame, which was reused in line with the high eco-standards of the project. By reusing major elements of the previous building and retaining and repairing the existing concrete on the main area for bus arrivals and departures, the ‘embodied’ carbon cost of constructing the new building has been dramatically reduced by an equivalent of over 575 tonnes. The new landmark building creates a striking gateway into the centre of the city. It features a glazed concourse to maximise natural lighting and cut energy consumption and a curved aluminium roof where a solar array of 390 photovoltaic panels will generate more clean, green power than is needed to run the building. The building has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with the highest possible rating of A+ and a score of -4. This means that the new bus station building will be better than net zero carbon in terms of its operational emissions. Bus passengers will benefit from a completely redesigned, improved and more spacious internal layout with better seating, a new café, modern toilets complete with a Changing Places accessible facility, and real-time digital passenger information. The new building also provides significantly more capacity for national and regional services, with the number of available bays increased by a third from 18 to 24. Electric bus charging points have been installed and the new building will offer secure storage for up to 100 bicycles, as well being the latest location for a docking station as part of the city’s new e-bike share scheme, Santander Cycles Leicester. Improvements to footpaths and roads next to the bus station are also complete. These include new and improved facilities for cyclists and pedestrians, safer crossings, new landscaping and more tree planting. The work will help strengthen and improve links between key development sites and the city centre, including the new Savoy Street which will provide a quick, direct pedestrian route link between St Margaret’s and Haymarket bus stations. Deputy city mayor Cllr Adam Clarke, who leads on environment and transportation, said: “The new St Margaret’s Bus Station represents an ambitious and important step forwards in our efforts to become a carbon neutral city. We believe that this is the first net zero carbon bus station building in the UK. “It shows our commitment to decarbonising our public buildings and will build on our work to promote sustainable transport and help improve services for bus passengers in and around the city, through our new Leicester Buses Partnership with local operators. “You can’t help but notice what a positive difference this investment has already made to the area. We’re really looking forward to welcoming people to the new St Margaret’s Bus Station and into this striking new net zero carbon building when it reopens in a few days’ time.” Visitors will have an opportunity to have a look around the new St Margaret’s Bus Station as part of a formal opening of the building on Sunday 26 June, from 12.30pm. During the open afternoon, Leicester Transport Heritage Trust will be inviting visitors to explore the history of bus travel with a display of vintage vehicles. There will also be a chance to take a trip back in time with a free vintage bus service between the new St Margaret’s Bus Station and Abbey Pumping Station. The event runs until 4pm. Local bus services which were temporarily relocated from the bus station are then due to return from the morning of Monday 27 June when the new building will be back in operation. Information will be posted at all affected bus stops. National Express is due to begin operating from its new premises inside St Margaret’s Bus Station from Tuesday 5 July. Ed Rickard, service delivery director at National Express UK, said: “Leicester is an important hub for National Express customers and we look forward to commencing services from the new St Margaret’s Bus Station. The redeveloped station will provide vastly improved facilities for our passengers’ convenience and comfort, connecting the city with frequent and affordable services to destinations across the UK." City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “The new St Margaret’s Bus Station is an important project for Leicester and the completion of this fantastic new building marks the beginning of a revival of this part of the city. “This new investment is providing a huge boost for public transport. It will also act as a catalyst for the regeneration of this important gateway into Leicester, helping to attract even more investment into the city. “The award of over £10million of government funding is a tremendous endorsement of the importance of this scheme and I am very grateful to everyone involved in helping to deliver this challenging project to such a tight deadline in difficult circumstances.” The £14.3million bus station redevelopment is part of the St Margaret’s Gateway regeneration project. This has been supported by a £10.5million allocation from the Getting Building Fund, a pot of government money awarded to the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) for shovel-ready infrastructure projects to help create jobs and support economic recovery across the country. Andy Reed OBE, Interim Chair of the LLEP Board, said: "The Getting Building Fund was designed to develop future infrastructure quickly and the St Margaret's Gateway project has achieved that. "This new bus station was funded to kickstart short and long-term economic growth and it does so both inclusively and sustainably. "A tired building has been transformed into a modern, useful, efficient alternative which will serve as a catalyst for further regeneration." The construction of the new building was carried out by the city council’s appointed contractors, leading construction and regeneration specialists Morgan Sindall. The company has previously worked with the city council on the delivery of the award-winning King Richard III Visitor Centre. The installation of the new building’s array of photovoltaic panels was supported by a grant of £95,000 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), as part of Leicester City Council’s successful bid for over £4million of match-funding to support a range of transport-related projects that aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

A man who befriended a teenage girl on Snapchat – before sexually abusing her and her friend has been jailed for more than six years. Twenty-six-year-old David Nwosu – who was already subject to multiple Sexual Harm Prevention Orders – added the victim on the social media platform in October 2020. He asked her to meet him in his home city of Birmingham but she declined – instead inviting him to her home in Hinckley. Three days later, Nwosu travelled to Leicestershire, buying alcohol en-route, where he immediately began to make the victim – aged 15 – feel uncomfortable. Her friend, also aged 15, went to the address a short time later and Nwosu continued giving them alcohol. He even left to go and buy more, but did not drink himself. He then engaged in sexual activity with both girls inside the address before leaving and returning to Birmingham that afternoon. The mother of one of the victims called Nwosu and he provided a fake name and age. The matter was reported to police and Nwosu was arrested on 1 December 2020. During hearings at Leicester Crown Court in February and April this year, Nwosu – of Langford Grove, Birmingham – pleaded guilty to: Five counts of breach of Sexual Harm Prevention Order Four counts of sexual activity with a child One count of sending a letter/electronic communication/article with intent to cause distress or anxiety – which relates to providing a false name and age Today (Friday 17 June) at the same court, Nwosu was sentenced to a total of 76 months’ imprisonment. He is also subject to an additional 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and told he must serve an extended period on licence of 24 months. Detective Constable James Alcock was the investigating officer. He said: “Nwosu is a predator who preys on young girls in order to fulfil his own sexual gratification. He bought alcohol in order to ensure they were intoxicated – and in the hope they’d comply. He even tried to cover his tracks by providing a false name to both victims and one of the victim’s mum.” “Despite evidence showing Nwosu had engaged in sexual activity he only recently pleaded guilty to this crime which has meant both young victims had to wait to the last moment not knowing if they would have to relive the horrific ordeal in front of a jury. “Nwosu is a dangerous individual and I am pleased he is now set to serve a significant time in prison. “Both young victims and their families have shown incredible bravery in giving an account to police and I hope they can move on with their lives.” There are a number of different agencies who are able to offer independent help and support to victims of sexual offences in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Further information on these services and details on who to contact if you have been a victim of a sexual offence can be found by visiting http://leics.police.uk

Hundreds of council houses and other affordable homes in Leicester are set to benefit from a rolling programme of solid wall insulation. Leicester City Council is rolling out an £8million programme of work that will see external insulation fitted to over 400 homes, including council houses and housing association properties. The work will help people reduce the cost of heating their homes and contribute to a citywide commitment to cutting carbon emissions. The first phase of work is now underway in the Saffron area of the city where 65 homes are being fitted with external wall insulation. This is backed by £1million of funding following the council’s successful bid to the Government’s Green Homes Grant Scheme. When installed, the new insulation will help people save up to an estimated £200 per year on energy bills and reduce household carbon emissions by around 900kg per annum. A second phase of work due to get underway later this year will see around 300 more homes in the city benefit from new solid wall insulation. This will be backed by £7million from the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, following a successful joint bid by the city council and local housing associations. Around 170 of the properties will be council homes, with the remainder set to be a mix of properties owned by Maynard Co-operative Housing Association, Midland Heart, Pinnacle Housing and Ross Walk Housing Co-operative. Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, assistant city mayor for housing, said: “Officers have done a fantastic job securing millions of pounds in funding for energy efficiency improvements to hundreds of homes across the city which will make a real difference to people’s lives. This ambitious programme of insulating properties across the city will help tenants cut the carbon cost of heating their homes and save money on their energy bills – something that is becoming increasingly important in these challenging times.” Deputy City Mayor Cllr Adam Clarke, who leads on environment and transportation, said: “The need to retrofit older buildings to make them energy efficient is among the many challenges presented by the climate emergency. “This new funding to retrofit hundreds of homes with energy efficient insulation is the next step in an ambitious programme that is already seeing huge investment in cutting the carbon cost of our schools, libraries, leisure centres and other buildings. “It also just one part of a major, multi-million programme of investment in the city that will help us make an important step forward in our citywide response to the climate emergency. “Now, more than ever, it is vital that we work with local partners to maintain this momentum and continue to urge central Government to support Leicester’s vision to be carbon neutral.” The city council is working with E.ON UK to deliver the insulation to the hundreds of homes covered by this first phase of investment. Work is expected to be complete by summer 2023. Green Homes Grant funding is also available to owner occupiers and landlords of privately rented properties. To find out more contact the Green Homes Grant team at E.ON on 0333 202 4820 (Monday to Friday 9am-5.00pm) or email Greenhomesgrant@eonenergy.com with your contact number. To find out more about a range of energy efficiency grants on offer for local homes and businesses through Leicester City Council, visit www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council/policies-plans-and-strategies/energy-efficiency Leicester City Council News

Residents and businesses in Leicester’s Clarendon Park are being asked for their views on a potential revamp of the popular Queens Road shopping street. Leicester City Council is considering a range of possible improvements as part of a citywide programme of investment to help local businesses recover from the effects of the pandemic and the disruption it caused. At Queens Road, the city council wants to help improve the shopping environment by creating more space for outdoor café areas and wider, safer pavements for pedestrians. Initial ideas could see changes made to some side road junctions – including potentially closing the junctions at Montague Road and Cecilia Road to vehicles – to create more pedestrian space and cut the amount of traffic turning into Queens Road, helping to make the busy shopping street safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Pavements could be widened at key points to make more space for outdoor café-style seating areas to support businesses, while retaining the on-street parking spaces for shoppers and visitors, including disabled people. Additional loading bays could be provided for businesses. This could include widening pavements outside Barceloneta and Friends Tandoori – between Howard Road and Cecilia Road – and filling in the existing bus stopping bay alongside the shopping area between Montague Road and Clarendon Park Road to create more space. Improvements to make the route safer and more appealing to cyclists are also being considered, to complement the recent introduction of a docking station on Queens Road as part of the new Santander Cycles Leicester e-bike hire scheme. Traffic calming measures, such as raised crossings, on Queens Road are also being considered to encourage motorists to cut their speed and improve road safety. The initial ideas for improvements to Queens Road have been developed closely with ward councillors and now the city council is inviting local residents and businesses to have their say. Assistant city mayor and Castle ward councillor Danny Myers said: “Queens Road is at the heart of the community in Clarendon Park. It’s a space that is held dear. Events like our Summer and Christmas fairs attract thousands and it is a place that can be enjoyed throughout the day and evening, all year round. “Creating a high quality-space that reflects this popularity is a great opportunity. The area would really benefit for improvements to create a more attractive and safer environment for visitors and to support local businesses. It’ll be interesting to see what people think of these proposals and to hear other ideas they may have for Queens Road too.” Deputy city mayor Cllr Adam Clarke, who leads on environment and transport, added: “It’s really important that we continue to invest in streets like Queens Road to enhance the environment, make them more people-friendly and help ensure their local businesses continue to thrive. “It’s clear that we have a real opportunity to invest in Queens Road and make it an even more attractive place for residents, local business and visitors. “We’re very keen for the local community to be an integral part of the creative process as this scheme develops”. An online survey has been launched to help gather people’s views. People can take part by visiting consultations.leicester.gov.uk/comms/queens-rd Closing date for comments is Saturday 30 July 2022. The project team will also be at the Clarendon Park Summer Fair on Sunday (19 June) to discuss the initial proposals in more detail, and letters outlining the ideas will be delivered to homes and businesses in the area.

The Flag of the Armed Forces will be raised in Leicester’s Town Hall Square on Monday (20 June) to mark the start of Armed Forces Week. Lord Mayor Cllr George Cole will be joined by Deputy Lieutenant Ramanbhai Barber for the simple ceremony at 11am. The flag-raising ceremony will be followed by the Armed Forces Day parade on Saturday (25 June). Led by the pipes and drums of the Seaforth Highlanders, the 400-strong parade of service personnel, veterans, reservists and cadets will step off from Jubilee Square at 10.30am and make its way to Green Dragon Square. Ongoing works at Leicester Cathedral mean that the Drumhead Service ­– a traditional service held in the field, in which regimental drums are placed together to form an altar – will take place in Green Dragon Square this year. The parade route will take in High Street, Gallowtree Gate and Horsefair Street, before arriving in Green Dragon Square. Crowds in Green Dragon Square will be entertained by the Corps of Drums from 10.45am, before a fly-past by a single Spitfire at 11.16am will signal the start of the open-air service. Led by the Bishop of Loughborough, Saju Muthalaly, the 30-minute service will include the reflections of a serving soldier and performances by the Cottesmore Military Wives Choir. Restrictions in place because of the coronavirus pandemic mean that it’s the first time since 2019 that the parade has taken place – and Lord Mayor Cllr George Cole is hoping that people will turn out in numbers on Saturday 25 June to show their support. “Let’s show our service men and women how much we appreciate them by lining the parade route on 25 June,” he said. “Armed Forces Day is an important opportunity to show our support – and it’s also an opportunity to enjoy the spectacle of a marching band and a military parade, right here, in our city centre. “After missing the last two years due to Covid, we are delighted to acknowledge the work of our armed forces, both past and present, and to welcome them back to Leicester.” Leicester has a longstanding relationship with local units of the armed forces, with both the Royal Lancers and Royal Anglian Regiments having been granted the freedom of the city of Leicester. The city council is also a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, which sets out the authority’s relationship with the armed forces, and the services available to current and former personnel and their families. Leicester’s Armed Forces Day Parade and Service has been organised by Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, the Lieutenancy Office, and Leicester Cathedral. Leicester City Council News

There's a new addition to Leicester’s Green Dragon Square – but only those who scour the skyline will notice the vulpine visitor on the top of the wall at the rear of the Corn Exchange. Created by an award-winning artist, the larger-than-life crouching fox is the second in a trio of fox sculptures commissioned by the city council. The first sculpture – a life-size replica of a fox on the move – was installed on the roof of the King Richard III Visitor Centre in November, while the final one will be installed on a flat roof at the LCB Depot on Rutland Street later this year. Leicester City Council hopes that the trio of sculptures – all shaped from steel wire – will create new talking points at the three popular city centre locations. City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “These new sculptures will complement the investment we’ve made in Leicester’s streets and spaces in recent years. “Art installations and other design features are important elements of our public realm and help create attractive spaces that people can interact with and enjoy. “These charming foxes, created by a very talented artist, are a welcome addition to the streetscape and I hope people will enjoy looking out for them in Leicester city centre.” Artist Candice Bees – whose sculpture of an urban fox won the David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year award in 2016 – said: “The fox is synonymous with Leicester so I was delighted to be commissioned to create this trio of sculptures. “Each fox takes me around six to eight weeks to complete – and each one is completely unique. I start by making a simple armature that represents the fox’s skeleton and then use thick wire to create a basic muscle structure. Finer wires are then used to model the outer skin and fur. This is the most time-consuming bit, as each hair is represented by a single strand of wire, woven through the sculpture to ensure that the final piece is as realistic as possible. “I hope that both locals and visitors will have fun, spotting something beautiful and unexpected on a city centre rooftop.” The sculptures have been funded as part of the Connecting Leicester project – the City Mayor’s long-term programme to better connect Leicester’s places of interest and create a more attractive environment for pedestrians and cyclists. Leicester City Council News

An investigation into a large fight in Leicester city centre is continuing – and detectives are appealing for help to identify a number of men. It happened in New Walk following the Leicester City versus Aston Villa game on Saturday 23 April. To date, 11 men – supporters of both teams – have been arrested in connection with the incident and have been released on bail while enquiries continue. However a number of men believed to have been involved have not been identified. Those pictured below are believed to be supporters of Leicester City: ***Update: 13/6/2022: Following the publication of this appeal on 10/6/2022, two of the men pictured have since been identified*** While those pictured below are believed to be supporters of Aston Villa: Detective Constable Ahmed Dada, the investigating officer, said: “I’m appealing for public help to identify those men pictured as I believe they may have information about what happened and can assist with the ongoing investigation. “If you recognise anyone and know who they are – or indeed you’re one of these men – then please get in touch. Any information you’re able to provide could help.” You can pass on information by visiting and quoting reference 22*230490. Alternatively call 101. Leicestershire Police News

Two parent champions from Leicester have won national awards for the work they do to help others. Ciara Audley and Farah Hussain were recognised by The Coram Family & Childcare Trust - a family charity based in London - at the charity’s recent Parent Champion Awards ceremony and conference. Ciara, from Braunstone, won an award in the category of volunteer who has made the most personal progress, while Farah, who lives near Fosse Park, won the best newcomer award. Parent champions are volunteers who help local families to access services and support from a council’s network of children’s centres. They provide a link between the community and local services, and represent the views of parents to help shape future services. In Leicester, for example, parent champions have been heavily involved in organising Get Up And Go, the council’s annual summer programme to encourage children, young people and their parents to be physically active during the summer period with a range of low-cost or no-cost activities. They have also taken part in interviews for members of council staff, as part of a recruitment panel. Deputy city mayor Cllr Sarah Russell, who leads on social care and anti-poverty, said: “I’m so proud of our parent champion programme and of all our parent champions. Ciara and Farah have worked so hard and fully deserve these fantastic awards. “These awards build on the success of our parent champions programme, which is now well established and last year won Parent Champion Scheme of the Year at the same awards. “It’s so important that local parents – as well as children and young people – are at the heart of what we do. Involving them in the services we provide is a crucial way in which we can ensure that what we offer is what parents want and need.” Ciara, who won the Parent Champion award for the most personal progress, said: “I’ve used Braunstone children’s centre for more than 20 years, from when my own children were very young. After I had my twins – now 14 – I suffered from post-natal depression and anxiety. This developed into severe agoraphobia and I didn’t work for seven years. “I used the Early Help service at the children’s centre and it was a staff member there who suggested I become a parent champion. I remember one of the first training sessions we had was in town, and I had to get myself there – I was shaking. But I met a friend there, another parent champion, and I haven’t looked back since then. “A lot of parents here have anxiety, they don’t have much money, and after they school run, they’re left at home with a toddler all day – it can be lonely. I help to get the word out that there are stay and play groups to help you; there are groups for young mums, all sorts of things. I walk them up to groups from their front door because I know how daunting it can be that first time. Then they come back, they make friends, their children progress – it’s great to see. I’m giving back to the community and I feel like part of a big family.” Farah, who won the best newcomer award, said: “I was referred to the children’s centre through a family support worker. I did a parenting programme and then they asked me to be a volunteer. I wasn’t sure at first, but they encouraged me. I started last November and it’s been great. “I’ve joined courses, attended online meetings and supported lots of different projects at children’s centres across the city. They need that parent view – I’m on the recruitment panel for team managers to be a parent voice. It’s exciting because I’ve done management roles in the past, so it’s ideal that I can use my skills for this. “I’m going to be running focus groups on sanitary protection projects we’re working on with public health, to tackle period poverty and make sure women and girls have what they need. I really enjoy working with people and helping people through projects like this. Kindness doesn’t cost anything and I’m inspired by other people who come forward to volunteer and give up their time despite what else they have going on. “I’m truly honoured by the new volunteer award. It’s so nice to be recognised and acknowledged as I have put my heart and soul into it. It’s an amazing feeling!” To find out more about the services available from Leicester’s Children, Young People and Family centres, visit https://families.leicester.gov.uk/childrenscentres/ Leicester City Council News