Latest news with #ViDempster
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
New sports pitches to be built in Leicester
Four new outdoor sports pitches will be built and five existing ball courts refurbished in City Council successfully bid for nine grants – totalling £1,858,066 – from the Football Foundation's national PlayZones council said PlayZones are "inclusive and accessible" outdoor facilities that aim to bring "communities together" through football and other councillor Vi Dempster said the projects will help the council deliver "valuable improvements" to nine communities. The locations for the four new PlayZones will be Elston Fields, Hamilton Park, Mowmacre and Sharmon ball courts will be refurbished at Atlas Close, Armadale Drive, Cossington Recreation Ground, Eyres Monsell and Spinney Hill Park. The Eyres Monsell PlayZone will be the first to be completed and is due to open to the public later this summer, the council said. Dempster added: "Each of the areas have been selected due to a lack of high-quality sports facilities in the community, which can create a barrier to physical activity."The new PlayZones will help address that, offering safe and secure ball courts where the community can meet for recreational football and other activities, and enjoy a programme of events and training delivered by local sports clubs and other organisations."
BBC News
26-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Fears over plans for volunteer-run libraries in Leicester
Residents in Leicester have expressed concerns over cost-cutting plans for volunteers to run libraries in the City Council has proposed to transfer the running of libraries in Rushey Mead and Knighton to external organisations as part of a wider shake-up of community buildings which aims to save £2.1m a year. However, users have told the BBC they fear no volunteers will be prepared to take over the buildings, which means they could be forced to council said the proposals did not amount to a closure programme and no decisions had been made. A consultation on the proposal runs until 29 Knighton Library Group is campaigning for the council to rethink the Amy Capelin said: "We are worried that it will impact on the service, and that the library might not be open as long. "We are worried it won't be run by experienced, qualified librarians, and that if it isn't run well, it might not survive in the long term."Once it's gone, we're going to lose it forever and we really don't want that." Rushey Mead resident Shashikala Jansari said: "This [the library] means my lifeline. "My husband is not well and he can't hear so I've got nobody to talk to even at home and I come here and see my friends and feel happy."Fellow library user Nishin Vyas said: "Our rates have gone up and they're going to go up again."We're not getting any facilities around here. Everything is cutbacks." Assisstant city mayor Vi Dempster said: "This is not a closure programme. "We have seen in Leicester that community buildings can be very successfully run by community groups, and we are asking local people to consider how they can work with us to take over these buildings. "No decision has yet been made, but we have already had interest from local people in running a number of buildings. "I would urge other groups to contact us if they also wish to make an expression of interest." The libraries are among 11 buildings the council hopes to find volunteers to the plans, the authority would retain 12 sites, which would become "multi-service centres", and the city's Central Coleman and Netherhall neighbourhood centres could be transferred to community organisations, as well as the Braunstone Frith and Rushey Mead recreation council said the Tudor Centre, in Mowmacre, the Eyres Monsell Community Centre, the Gilmorton Community Rooms and libraries in Evington, Knighton and Rushey Mead could also be offered to external organisations to St Matthews Centre could also close with the library moved to a nearby location and the Fosse Neighbourhood Centre in Newfoundpool could be sold off, the authority council said it would invest £1m in the 12 buildings it intends to keep - five of which, including the Beaumont Leys Library Hub and Highfields Library Hub, could have staffed opening for 40 hours a self-access hours would be offered on top of the 40 hours at Belgrave Library Hub, The Brite Centre Library Hub in Braunstone and St Barnabas Library Hub, the council addedIt said the remaining seven sites could open for 30 hours a include Aylestone Library, Westcotes Library Hub, a relocated St Matthews Library and Thurnby Lodge Centre self-access hours are proposed for Hamilton Library Hub, New Parks Centre Hub, and Pork Pie Library Hub.
BBC News
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Riverside Festival returns to Leicester for 2025
Leicester's free Riverside Festival is returning to the city on Saturday and family-friendly event will take place around the River Soar's mile straight and will include boat rides, kayaking, dragon boat races, live music and performances, craft markets, food and drink and a pop-up art will also take place at Bede Park, Castle Gardens, Western Boulevard, and De Montford University, as well as The Newarke Houses Museum, which will be part of the festival for the first Montford University's Cultural eXchanges Festival, which is organised by students, has also been merged into the festival for the first time and will include dance, performances and workshops. A dedicated family zone will be set up in a tipi in Bede park and will include mini discos, bubble parties and entertainment from noon to 14:00 BST on both days. Live music will also be performed by local artists across both days on the Piazza Stage, with acoustic sessions held in Castle Gardens nearby. A 17th Century living history camp will recreate the Siege of Leicester during the civil war in 1645, with a re-enactment at The Newarke from 14:00 to 15:00 on both Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor for leisure and culture, said: "Like all our festivals, the aim of the Riverside Festival is to bring people together."It's also a chance to showcase the diversity of our communities and enjoy the food, music, dance and arts that make Leicester so special."I hope that the weather will be kind to us and we can look forward to a fun-packed Riverside Festival that will offer something for everyone."The event will take place from noon until 18:00 on Saturday and noon until 17:00 on Sunday.
BBC News
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Leicester's Roman forum built from cardboard in a day
Rome wasn't built in a day - but Leicester's cardboard forum Saturday a Roman forum building was created entirely from cardboard and sticky tape in Jubilee brown building will come tumbling down today as part of a free Old Town Festival in the city centre on Saturday and attractions for visitors to the city include learning to march like a Centurion, mosaic making in the Guildhall, morris dancing and meeting a fire-breathing dragon to mark St George's Day. Assistant city mayor Vi Dempster said combining traditional St George's Day celebrations with the Leicester's 2,000-year history made for "an exciting festival with something for everyone".
BBC News
22-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Leicester's Saffron Lane Estate called 'paradise' in exhibition
A new exhibition which looks back at the history of a city centre estate has been compiled to commemorate 100 years since its first residents moved Saffron Lane estate, known locally as "The Saff", was first large-scale housing development built in the city after World War One and welcomed its first residents in exhibition at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery features oral histories which tell the story of the estate in the words of the people who lived there. They include one tenant who likened their home to paradise, with running water, a bath and a separate bedroom for the children. Another resident who moved to The Fairway in 1926 remembered churned-up mud surrounding the houses before roads were built and the Midland Red bus stop being a long walk away at the top of Saffron exhibition shows residents had little in the way of amenities when they first moved in. However, the oral histories do recall a milkman who travelled in from Countesthorpe, a dairy in Cyprus Road, a mobile greengrocer, baker with a basket of hot cross buns and Tommy Newby's, the grocer - where a cat sat on the bacon which serve the community today are also featured in the exhibition, including a locksmith that has been trading in Leicester since city mayor Vi Dempster said: "This brilliant new exhibition shines a light on the people and businesses that help to give Saffron Lane its strong sense of identity and community."I'm very grateful to everyone who has donated items to the exhibition and given their support to this project. "Thanks to their generosity, our museum staff have been able to bring the story of The Saff to life in an exhibition that I'm sure will be popular with visitors."Popping to the Shops: Saffron Lane opens at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery on Saturday 22 March and runs until 31 August. Admission is free.
