After a national advertising campaign and gruelling selection process, Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL), has today announced the appointment of its new Chief Executive, Kevin Allen-Khimani, who will step into the helm after the retirement of Kevan Liles this autumn. Kevin is the current Head of Operations and Services and has more than 20 years’ service at VAL. He is well known to many important local stakeholders and will provide experience and continuity for VAL as they move into their next stage of development. Kevin successfully led VAL’s dynamic response to the Covid 19 pandemic, mobilising thousands of local volunteers and hundreds of community groups to support vulnerable local communities. “I am delighted that the Trustee Board has been able to secure such a strong successor to lead VAL into the future. The Board will do everything it can to support Kevin in his leadership of our organisation that has proved to be such an essential component in improving the lives of the people and communities of Leicester and Leicestershire.” Linda Jones, Chair of Trustees. Kevin will commence his new role in mid-September to allow a 6 week handover period before Kevan Liles retires at the end of October after 33 years’ service at VAL. “It is so exciting to be given this opportunity to lead such a fantastic organisation. I have already had a tremendous career at VAL and have steadily developed my skills and experience. I intend to lead VAL to a better, more sustainable future – building on the existing strong foundations.” Kevin Allen-Khimani, VAL CEO Designate.

A police investigation into industrial amounts of class A drugs being supplied across the UK has led to six more people being sentenced. A total of 32 people have now been brought before the courts following the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) investigation which was launched in April 2020 after the encrypted chat platform ‘Encrochat’ was dismantled as part of a huge international law enforcement operation. The platform had been used to organise and facilitate the supply of multiple kilos of cocaine and heroin, primarily between January and September 2020. Data recovered from the platform was used by officers to show the vast scale of offending which stretched the length and breadth of the UK and across international boundaries. Large amounts of cash and class A drugs were recovered during police enforcement across 2020 and 2021. The EMSOU investigation led to 22 people being sentenced in January and four people in June for their involvement. Five people were sentenced at Leicester Crown Court for their involvement. Top row from left to right: Hani Mohamed Sadek, Lewis Ball and Richard Paice Bottom row from left to right: Abusophiyan Malida, Cale Borland Hani Mohamed Sadek, 44, formerly of Shakespeare Avenue, Denton, Greater Manchester was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply a Class A controlled drug (cocaine) Lewis Ball, 33, formerly of St Austell Road, Leicester was sentenced to seven years and six months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply a Class A controlled drug (cocaine) Richard Paice, 45, formerly of Castleton Avenue, Arnold, Nottinghamshire was sentenced to six years and eight months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply a Class A controlled drug (cocaine) and possession with intent to supply a Class A controlled drug (cocaine) Abusophiyan Malida, 27, formerly of Sandringham Avenue, Leicester was sentenced to six years and six months imprisonment after previously being found guilty following a trial of conspiracy to supply a Class A controlled drug (cocaine) Cale Borland, 27, formerly of Ratby Road, Groby, Leicestershire was sentenced to five years and four months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply a Class A controlled drug (cocaine)

The Leicester Riders are excited to sign 6’7” forward TJ Lall to their 2023/24 roster. The Canadian, who holds a British passport, has played four seasons in the Canadian CEBL, most recently alongside Riders’ guard Kimbal Mackenzie for the Niagara River Lions. Lall played last season in the Japanese first division for Kyoto Hannaryz, putting up 6.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. He was selected by the Ottawa BlackJacks as the first overall pick during the 2020 CEBL Draft, where he had his first taste of professional basketball. In college, the Ontario native won four national titles with the Carleton Ravens before transferring to Brock University for his fifth college season. He averaged 22 points and 7.9 rebounds per game and was named First Team All-Canadian, OUA West First Team All-Star and Brock Men’s Basketball Team MVP. "I'm very excited and grateful for the opportunity to play for the Riders," said Lall. “I can't wait to experience basketball in the UK and get on court to battle with the team!" “We are thrilled to have TJ for next season,” commented Head Coach Rob Paternostro. “TJ is a versatile player who can make an impact on both ends of the floor and a guy who plays with the type of energy that can really impact a game. “He can do a variety of things: defend multiple positions, score in different ways and as shown the ability to play make for others. “He has been teammates with guys we know very well, and they’ve all said great things about him as a player and a teammate.”

Your local air ambulance has achieved the monumental milestone of undertaking its 50,000th mission in a year that sees the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) celebrating 20 years of lifesaving service and Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA) celebrating 15 years. The lifesaving service has touched tens of thousands of lives in the process of reaching the impressive milestone and the feat is even more remarkable given the fact all missions are funded entirely by public donations - at no cost to the NHS. WNAA and DLRAA provide pre-hospital emergency critical care - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year - utilising both helicopters and critical care cars while working alongside East Midlands and West Midlands Ambulance Services. Former patient Adrian O’Donnell, who needed the vital service when he suffered a cardiac arrest, attended the East Midlands airbase to mark the occasion. “It’s incredible to see the service, which helped save my life, reach its 50,0000th mission milestone,” said Adrian. “Mine was one of those 50,000 missions and my story highlights the difference between life and death that being treated by the air ambulance crew can make. “My wife Jane and I are forever grateful for this vital service for saving my life and the knock-on effect the charity has when it saves lives; this being on families, friends, and the public – it’s amazing that it’s kept operational by public support and donations,” he added. Based at Coventry Airport and currently Nottingham Heliport respectively, WNAA and DLRAA carry dedicated critical care paramedics and doctors who are able to perform advanced medical interventions and surgical procedures - usually performed in a hospital environment - from thoracotomies and caesareans to amputations, when the need is there. The charity’s frontline crews, who work tirelessly around the clock to help save lives, are proud to have been able to help so many in their moment of need. Critical Care Paramedic & DLRAA Base Manager Gavin Alexander said: “On 50,000 occasions, our clinical teams have been tasked in the air ambulance helicopters (63%) or Critical Care Cars (37%) to go to the aid of someone who may need us. “Since 2003, the response of the public to us has been fantastic as we have continued to provide frontline critical care across our five counties and further afield as we’ve responded to countless road traffic collisions, medical incidents, assaults, falls, sporting/leisure incidents and industrial accidents. “Not every one of the 50,000 calls resulted in lifesaving interventions by our crews, sometimes thankfully the patient is not as serious as first thought and the team can provide assistance and reassurance to the patient. However, sometimes the time saved or the rescue flight from a remote hard to reach location is the most important intervention we deliver, but we’re proud to have been there for our communities, and we will continue to be.” Director of Operations, Richard Clayton, added: “As we have completed our monumental milestone of 50,000 lifesaving missions, I’m proud of how our frontline services have enhanced over the years and the clinical developments achieved - allowing our services to help lead the way in pre-hospital emergency medicine. “I’m reminded of the countless people that have contributed in so many ways to our services, we simply couldn’t have achieved our mission over the past 20 years without our fantastic volunteers, donors, supporters, charity team and NHS partners. “Most of all I want to thank my critical care clinicians, pilots and support team members for their significant contribution to our communities and patient care, as well as their families who have been consistently supportive as our crews work tirelessly round the clock.” Funded by public donations, with each mission costing an average of £1,700, 50,000 missions means over £85m has been funded to keep the vital charity operational – emphasising the need for continued support from the public to enable them to continue saving lives. The Air Ambulance Service Acting CEO, Emma Peake reflects on what this means to the charity: “It is incredible to think about reaching 50,000 missions and gives us all an enormous sense of pride because of the difference we have been making to patient outcomes and people’s lives. “When we talk about 50,000 missions, it is people and their extended families that have been positively affected by our lifesaving work. It has meant people celebrating their own milestone birthdays and anniversaries which might never have happened, it has meant saving the NHS tens of millions of pounds by providing all our services for free, and it has meant many lives saved or extra time given for families to say goodbye. “All of this is achieved because of the dedication, commitment, and passion of everyone involved at our charity. 50,000 missions has been supported not only by our incredible supporters, donors, and staff, but through our network of now 37 retail stores which have generated an astounding £42m, 680 reuse clothing banks, and a sensational army of now 795 selfless volunteers.” For more information or to support the vital charity, please visit www.airambulanceservice.org.uk or call 0300 3045 999.

Leading developer Barratt Homes has made a £1,500 donation to an animal rehoming centre in Huncote as part of its Community Fund scheme. Leicester Animal Aid, based in the South Leicestershire village of Huncote, cares for around 300 dogs and cats who are lost, abandoned, neglected, unwanted or relinquished each year and the contribution from the housebuilder will help its services. The cost-of-living crisis has taken its toll on many people with pets and, as reported by Pets4Homes, one in 10 UK pet owners are considering giving up their companion to cope with financial pressures. It was noted that 18% of owners were falling into debt to pay for their pets’ care, whilst 25% said they will not take their pet to the vet due to high costs. In addition, there are also other reasons why well-loved pets are relinquished and this is where charities like Leicester Animal Aid make a real difference. The funding from Barratt Homes has gone towards the Community Pet Support Scheme, which helps elderly, disabled and housebound pet owners care for their companion animals at home. Helen Wilber, Fundraising Manager at Leicester Animal Aid, said: “When we received the news of the donation, we were absolutely delighted. “Our Community Pet Support Scheme not only helps local people, but it helps to prevent well-loved animals being relinquished because their owners are elderly or have disabilities which are impacting on their ability to look after their animals in the way they would like to. “The charity relies heavily on donations from kind, individual and sympathetic, local and national businesses to keep our doors open to cats and dogs who need a second chance, so we are always grateful for any assistance.” The donation was made as part of the housebuilder’sBarratt Developments Plc Charitable Foundation, which is designed to support national and local charities, large and small, leaving a lasting legacy in the communities in the areas the developer is operating in. During the pandemic, and since the end of lockdown, Leicester Animal Aid has taken in more young dogs than usual. The registered charity has also had more dogs that have not had the opportunity to socialise with other dogs and people due to the isolation periods, and ones which haven’t received the basic training they need. As a result, the dogs have needed more extensive care plans to help build their confidence, social and behavioural skills. On the relinquishment side, many owners giving up animals have acknowledged that they have found pet ownership challenging. Some owners have explained that they were unable to register their new pet at a veterinary practice, and have struggled to book and afford routine care such as vaccinations, and neuter or spay surgery. To combat this, the charity has cared for more pregnant cats and unwanted younger cats than usual, and also had a higher number of cats requiring veterinary treatment. The work of rehoming charities has increased in the past year due to pets that were adopted during the lockdown periods being returned, largely due to the cost-of-living crisis. Pets charity, Woodgreen, stated applications to adopt animals had plunged from around 10,000 during the lockdowns to now hundreds a month. Mark Cotes, Managing Director at Barratt Homes North Midlands, said: “The work of Leicester Animal Aid is of extreme importance, as there are many dogs and cats in need of a loving home. “The charity’s efforts to care for pets in need is fantastic to see, and we’re glad to see our Community Fund donation will be put to good use via the Community Pet Support Scheme.” To learn more about the charity, visit its website atLeicester Animal Aid.

Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews is undertaking important research to understand how policing and crime is perceived by the public. The PCC has launched an online survey to capture residents' views on a range of issues from how safe or unsafe they feel in specific community locations through to what worries them most when they are in public places. Further research will take place via focus groups. The results will help the Commissioner assess public trust and confidence in the police so he can hold the Chief Constable to account more effectively. It will also help improve the safety and wellbeing of local people by ensuring policing resources are targeted to areas identified by the public as needing improvement. The survey is anonymous and Mr Matthews is appealing for people from all backgrounds to contribute to ensure feedback is truly representative of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland's diverse communities. "This is one of the largest research projects of its kind to run across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and will provide a detailed insight into the way in which policing and crime is perceived by the public," he said. "The information we receive will be vital for helping me to map out future improvements to services and to ensure these are aligned with the priorities of the public. "As Commissioner, I serve the public. Listening to the views and experiences of residents is very important to me ‘Because People Matter'. I've made it my mission as PCC to build confidence and trust in local policing and to achieve this I need to understand precisely what we do well and what we need to do better. "I would encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to spare 10 minutes to complete this survey. We are lucky to live in a unique and richly diverse area. Understandably, people's experiences of policing may differ depending on their background and the community in which they live. It is vital I understand these experiences in their totality, so we have a rounded picture." The Crime and Policing Survey 2023 goes live on Thursday 29th June. Please use the following link to participate: https://bit.ly/3JsTbnj. Residents are assured that the results from the survey will be reported anonymously and there is no obligation to provide any personally identifying details.

BBC Radio Leicester presenter Herdle White set to retire after 50 years. Herdle White is the longest-serving African Caribbean radio DJ on the BBC. He is set to retire after presenting shows for BBC Radio Leicester for 50 years. White moved to Leicester in 1959 when he came over to the UK from Jamaica. He began work for BBC Radio Leicester doing a five minute Caribbean roundup, which has evolved into a popular fully fledged programme. Speaking on his latest show, White said: ‘My show has been going for the last 50 years, over 50 years, but all good things have to come to an end sometime. On Friday 26th May, I will be hanging up my microphone for the last time. It has been a great pleasure for me, over the years I have met so many nice people, important people, but as I mention, all good things must come to an end.’ ‘It’s a long time, it’s not something I will look forward to, but when the time comes, the time comes. I am going to miss a lot of people, miss playing all of your favourite tunes, it’s going to be a big hole in my life in a way. But times, you have to move on’. https://twitter.com/leigh984/status/1660310228431192064?s=46&t=ZmZogq1hfLjP9micLo7C-g Listeners can use #ThankYouHerdle on social media to share their memories of listening to the popular DJ over the years. Herdle’s last programme will air this Friday 7-10pm on BBC Radio Leicester and BBC Sounds.

More than 100 knives recovered, 91 education events held and 47 knife sweeps carried out – just some of our knife crime prevention work carried out last week as part of Op Sceptre. The week, which ran from Monday 15 May to Sunday 21 May, was part of the national campaign carried out by all 43 police forces and the British Transport Police to help tackle knife crime. Officers in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland focused on providing education and engagement across communities to raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime and how to prevent it. A total of 52 community engagements, including with sports clubs and retailers, were held across the week as well as 39 workshops in schools. In addition to this engagement work, people were reminded of our knife amnesty bins which are in place at police stations across the force area. The bins allow anybody to dispose of knives without the fear of being punished unless it is found to have been used for a criminal act. Since November 2022, a total of 332 knives have been placed in the bins. More than 100 of these were placed in the bins during the past week. A total of 47 knife sweeps were carried out across the force area by officers during the week checking areas for bladed weapons. Three knives were recovered during these sweeps. Knife arches were also placed in key locations during the week while officers also carried out visits to habitual knife carriers. The week also saw work carried out with Trading Standards to help crackdown on knives being sold to under 18s. A total of 22 shops were visited by a test purchaser who was under 18. Five of the shops failed the test purchase selling a knife to a person under 18. A total of four arrests in relation to knife-related offences were made during the week as part of the operation activity. Three knives were recovered as part of these arrests. Detective Superintendent Jim Hatton, from the force’s Violent and Complex Crime Unit, said: “In order to continue tackling knife crime, we need to continue working together to raise awareness of the extreme dangers of knife crime and how we can prevent it. “It was therefore great to see so much community engagement last week, including in our schools, and this is something we continue to develop all year round. “It is also great to see our knife amnesty bins being used and hundreds of knives, which could potentially end up being used as weapons, being taken off our streets. “Last week’s activity is also a reminder to all shopkeepers of their legal responsibility when it comes to not selling knives to underage people. Five of the 22 shops we tested broke the law. We will continue to carry out these test purchases. “I would like to thank all our partners who worked with us across the week to help educate and engage and to help keep our communities safe.” Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews said: “Once again the efforts of the team have reaped just rewards with more deadly weapons taken off our streets before they can destroy lives. My hat goes off to everyone involved in delivering this week of action from the frontline officers at the sharp end of enforcement through to the prevention officers going into our schools and colleges to highlight the grim consequences of carrying knives. “Of course, this type of proactive activity goes on all year round, 24 hours a day. We have a wealth of resources including School Liaison Officers dedicated to reducing risk and ensuring school pupils are armed with the facts so they can make safer choices. The force also works relentlessly alongside its VRU partners to turn lives away from serious violence and build confidence within our communities. “We know it takes much more than handcuffs and warrants to prevent knife crime, this is why I have continued to invest in schemes which treat serious violence as a public health issue and tackle problems at source. We are proudly drawing upon a whole range of holistic and effective interventions to give our young people the futures they deserve, and these results will really strengthen that work.” More information on the Operation Sceptre activity from the week can be found on our force social media channels. The Live Safe website also offers advice and support for young people and for adults and carers on keeping yourselves, friends and family and our communities safe. The website can be found at Making our community a safe place to live - LiveSafe Leicestershire Police News 24/05/23

Leicester's biggest free family festival is set to bring alive the city’s waterways and parks once again next month with a fun-packed programme of activities for all ages. The annual Riverside Festival returns on June 3 and 4, spread over four areas – Bede Park, Castle Gardens, Western Boulevard, and the Mile Straight of the River Soar – featuring fun on and off the water. Bede Park will feature family activities including a funfair, the Book Bus, an array of stalls and street food and a fully-licensed bar. New for 2023 is the Riverside Sports Zone. Visitors can take part in pop-up activities from Leicester Riders, Leicester City in the Community and Leicester City Hockey Club among others. Those with a more adventurous streak can try their skills on a 26ft climbing wall. The acoustic stage returns to Bede Park, with a packed line-up of fantastic local musical talent. The Main Stage on the Piazza will host a weekend of eclectic sounds from some of Leicester’s most talented musicians, headlined on Saturday by Jersey Budd and on Sunday by The Heartland Roots Band. The full line-up includes: Saturday 3rd June HQ Showcase Eava FM Showcase Stevie Jones and The Wildfires Amber Saqladi Blues Irregulars Jersey Budd Sunday 4th June 2 Funky Arts Showcase The Deceivers Sing for Water Showcase Sorrell The Heartland Roots Western Boulevard will be transformed for the weekend into the hugely-popular arts and crafts market. Art on the River is back, with local artists displaying their unique pieces of work. Cyclists will be able to make use of a free, secure bike park, along with some Cyclone Works and Danny’s Extreme Mountain Bike Show. The River Soar will come alive with colourful kayaks, live demos and boat trips, including the fully-accessible boat Sunbeam II. Castle Gardens also hosts a fully-licensed bar and street food, as well as a programme of fun activities. Visitors can get crafty with yarn bombing and enjoy a fabulous outdoor theatre space to watch The Ugly Bugs puppet show. There will be a BrightSparks Arts in Health showcase, with live comedy, music, visual arts and dance. Arts organisation Opal22 is encouraging diverse families of Leicester to wear their finest cultural garments and will be offering families a free portrait and a digital print as part of the Casta event series. There will also be two new trails, showcasing artwork and items from the city’s heritage, to get visitors moving around the sites. The first We Are Leicester trail, called Up Your Street, focuses on the theme of unity and celebrates the city’s rich diversity. Five artists have collaborated with five local communities to create a piece of art together, with a second produced by the artists themselves. Artists and communities involved include Adam Kalifa and the Highfields community; Anton Levy Amoo and Rowletts Hill, Rebecca Harvey Hobbs and Eyres Monsell, Traci Howard and Braunstone Gate and Ali Carpenter. Visitors can follow the trail and look for hidden clues in each with an opportunity to win an art prize by visiting them all. The second trail, entitled Heritage Hotspots, showcases an archive of images giving a glimpse of the city’s past. The Leicester Museums and Galleries volunteering team will be displaying local highlights from Leicester City Council’s photographic archive, giving a unique opportunity to explore some of the rarely-seen images of the city and riverside from the past 70 years. A 1950s fire engine, from the Leicester Museums Technology Association, will also be featured. Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “Riverside Festival is in many ways the start of the city’s summer programme of events, transforming the areas of Bede Park, the Mile Straight, Castle Gardens and Western Boulevard with a weekend of colourful, family-friendly activities. “Best of all, it is free to attend, and as a result has proved to be a very popular annual event bringing together the best of the city’s arts, crafts, music and activities for all ages.” Full details are available at the Visit Leicester website here.

Leicester's new Lord Mayor has been handed the chains of office at a ceremony in the city’s Town Hall. Cllr Dr Susan Barton, who has served as a city councillor since 2011, currently represents the Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields ward, having previously represented neighbouring Western Park. Leicester born and bred, she attended Hazel Primary School before going to Newarke Girls School, on the site of what is now Fullhurst Community College. Following a difficult childhood, which included at age 11 a whole term spent in an open-air school in Switzerland recuperating from a long-term illness, she left school at 15 but went on to educate herself by reading books during her breaks at a printing factory where she worked making labels for Dairylea cheese. Cllr Barton went on to gain GCSEs and A levels, a degree in history, a masters degree in computing, a PhD in social history and became a lecturer at Charles Keene College and Hinckley College, as well as writing and publishing 10 books ranging from local heritage to the history of working-class tourism and travel. She is currently an honorary visiting research fellow at the International Centre for Sports History and Culture at De Montfort University, and her main research interest is now the history of winter sport. Cllr Barton’s hobbies include dancing and local heritage. Her two grown-up children will accompany her in the role – her daughter, research scientist Dr Marie Weston, will take on the role of Lady Mayoress, while her son, videogame producer Max Barton, will be Consort. Cllr Barton said: “I’m looking forward to the role. It’s quite exciting but also slightly daunting – as well as going out to visit the wide range of community groups across the city, I’ll be acting as an ambassador representing the whole city.” Outgoing Lord Mayor, Cllr George Cole, will serve as Deputy Lord Mayor, with Cllr Manjula Sood taking on the role of High Bailiff. Cllr Barton is pictured with civic attendant Chris Rhodes (left) and outgoing Lord Mayor Cllr George Cole (right).

Midlands collaboration sees pressure sensor experts Druck help provide Hawk Racing with competitive edge ahead of Donington Superbikes showdown LEICESTER, U.K. – 17 May 2023 – A collaboration between two successful East Midlands firms, based in Groby (Druck) and Mallory Park (Hawk Racing), aims to deliver a best-ever season on the British Superbikes circuit for the local, family-run team. In the same week that the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship will descend on Donington Park for its first of two local rounds, Druck, a Baker Hughes business, hosted the Hawk Racing team in a first-of-its-kind huddle to pinpoint how using its world-leading pressure sensor technology will translate to gains on the circuit. Mallory Park-based riders Josh Owens and Charlie Nesbitt joined senior engineers from Druck for the unique session on 16 May 2023. The insights shared will guide the Hawk team as they prepare for Round 3 of the series at Donington Park, which is the local race for the squad. “This is our 25th year in racing,” said Steve Hicken, owner of Hawk Racing, “making us the longest established team in British Superbikes – and we want this season to be one to remember. Adopting world-leading sensor technology from Druck, alongside our new Honda machinery and two talented riders, we believe we can make a big impact, and the collaboration is particularly special due to sharing the same regional base.” Druck is among Leicestershire’s foremost manufacturers, employing almost 700 people at its global headquarters in Groby, and a further 200 globally. “With a 50-year legacy in pressure measurement, we’re proud that our unrivalled pressure measurement technology is providing Hawk with a competitive advantage and helping them improve performance”, said Jonny MacGregor, Global Engineering Leader at Druck, who is also a GT (Gran Tourer) racing driver in the Britcar British Endurance Championship. “We’re one of the few companies worldwide manufacturing piezo-resistive high quality motorsport sensors from silicon wafers, into a finished product that can withstand the punishing environment of top tier motorsport. Our lightweight sensors provide accuracy and reliability and deliver race teams marginal gains, which on the circuit are critical. “We hope this collaboration of two regional firms at the forefront of this industry will deliver a best-ever season for Hawk Racing on the British Superbike circuit.” During the visit, the Hawk Racing team and other guests went behind-the-scenes at Druck’s UK production facility, where around 100 individual processes are completed as part of the assembly of a high-performance pressure sensor. The Druck sensors can perform at temperatures from -20 to 175 Degrees Celsius, and withstand the extreme vibration and shock associated with professional motorsport. Since 1990, Druck products have been successfully applied across the motorsport sector, with its products chosen by teams from all leading motorsport series. Druck is a global leader for pressure measurement supporting customers in more than 70 countries. Its technology is trusted by customers in critical applications across many industries including aerospace, automotive, semiconductor, oil and gas, power generation, meteorology and hydrology. About Baker Hughes: Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR) is an energy technology company that provides solutions to energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and conducting business in over 120 countries, our innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward – making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet. Visit us at bakerhughes.com. For more details on Donington race this weekend! https://www.donington-park.co.uk/2023/may/bennetts-british-superbike-championship

Dramatic footage released by the force shows the pursuit and arrest of a disqualified driver who failed to stop for police. On the evening of Wednesday 12 April, officers became aware of a white Ford Transit van travelling through the Wigston area displaying false registration plates. Shortly after, the van was intercepted by road policing officers in Welford Road before travelling into Wistow where it started to increase its speed and drive erratically. Officers activated their blue lights for the van to stop and it failed to so, therefore a police pursuit was authorised. Over the course of approximately 25 minutes, the van was pursued by the specially trained officers and was observed being driven dangerously. This included a number of times overtaking by crossing over solid white lines into oncoming traffic. The footage shows the car being tracked by colleagues from the National Police Air Service (NPAS) as it drove at high speed until it came to a stop in a cul-de-sac in the Thurnby Lodge area. Dramatic footage shows the pursuit and arrest of a disqualified driver who failed to stop for police. Their assistance from the air directed officers on the ground to the direction the men started to walk. Realising police were closing in, both men started to run and after a chase across gardens, one of the men James Ward, was arrested in an outbuilding. The second man was also arrested nearby and released on bail. He has been since been released with no further action. Following a police investigation, confident Ward was the driver, he was charged with: Driving a motor vehicle dangerously Using a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance Failing to stop Fraudulently use a registration mark/registration document Driving whilst disqualified Failing to provide specimen Criminal damage Possessing a controlled drug of Class B – Cannabis The 33-year-old of Ocean Road, Leicester pleaded guilty to all charges at Leicester Magistrates’ Court last month expect the failing to stop charge which was discontinued. He was sentenced to 22 months in prison at Leicester Crown Court on Friday (12 May). He was also disqualified from driving for six years and will be required to take an extended retest after this period. The criminal damage related to damage caused to a fence by Ward in his attempted escape while the drugs charge related to a quantity of cannabis found when officers searched his home. PC Sophie Hancock, who was the investigating officer, has spoken the joint efforts of all those involved in apprehending the suspects. She said: “The joint effort of all those involved in the arrest of Ward are an excellent example of operational policing and team work at its best. "While our road policing officers, who drive at the highest level of skill and precision, pursued the vehicle, our colleagues at NPAS used their knowledge and expertise to tracking the vehicle and with the assistance of local neighbourhood officers on the ground arrests were made. “The assistance of NPAS was also crucial in identifying which man was driving the vehicle as they were able to observe which side of the vehicle Ward left and track him up until his arrest placing him as the driver. “I must also mention my colleagues, PC Eliot Bates and PC Danielle Preston, whose assistance has been instrumental in getting this case to court.” PC Hancock added: “Ward chose to drive in a dangerous and irresponsible manner, often at speeds close to 100mph, along main routes across the county and city which were full with motorists at the time. It’s extremely fortunate that he did not collide with any vehicles or anyone crossing the road. “He has now been left with a string of driving convictions as well a period of time in prison for the sake of less than thirty minutes of reckless behaviour.” Leicestershire Police News