News and features from Harborough District Council - October 2025

Congratulations to all of our Community Award winners!

People from across the Harborough district have been recognised for their important contributions to their communities at a special awards ceremony.

Winners and runners up in the Harborough District Community Awards were presented with their certificates and cash prizes at an event on 9 October at Lutterworth College. 

In the summer people were invited to nominate individuals and groups who they feel make a valuable contribution to their local community in the district for an award.

Cat Hartley, Director of Communities and Wellbeing at Harborough District Council, said: “It’s so important to recognise the work and impact of all the amazing volunteers and community groups that we are so lucky to have in the Harborough district. The council’s Community Awards are an opportunity to shine a light on just a handful of the fantastic people in the district who work so tirelessly for others in their communities.” 

We're Rewilding Harborough

Our ambitious Rewilding Harborough project is moving ahead at pace and is drawing the attention of government, nature conservation bodies and scores of local people who have expressed an interest in getting involved.

As you know, earlier this year we purchased 133.3 acres of land at Tin House Farm, Great Bowden to restore a nature-depleted area on a nationally significant scale, bringing benefits to wildlife, people and communities.

With the support of Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, Rewilding Harborough will create a wildlife haven for nature and people, with publicly accessible open space.

We’ve already seen nesting skylarks, many butterflies, frogs spawning and oak saplings returning to the land just a few months since we bought it.

We have also: 

• Appointed a dedicated project officer to work with the Wildlife Trust 

• Carried out preliminary site surveys to establish the current ecological state of the land

• Set up a steering group of local landowners and other stakeholders plus other governance structures

• Held discussions with experts from Natural England, the Forestry Commission, National Farmers Union and DEFRA

• Agreed a new vision for the project

• Held a meeting with local people who expressed an interest in volunteering to support the role

Next steps will include developing a full masterplan for the project. 

Other potential sites have been identified in a number of areas of Harborough district which will continue to be explored and additional locations will be supported where sites are put forward. 

To get involved email rewildingproject@harborough.gov.uk 

Congratulations to the East Midlands In Bloom winners

Well done to the winners from Harborough district at the East Midlands in Bloom (EMIB) competition.

Market Harborough won the large town category of the EMIB competition for the fourth year running with a gold award. Meanwhile, Lubenham in Bloom won the village category of the contest for a second consecutive year with a sixth gold award. 

EMIB is an annual competition and is one of the 18 regions/nations which comprise Britain in Bloom, the campaign organised by the Royal Horticultural Society.

The aims of East Midlands in Bloom are to encourage the improvement of our surroundings through the imaginative use of trees, shrubs, flowers and landscaping. It also aims to achieve a litter free and sustainable environment.

The winning Harborough in Bloom team is a partnership of volunteers, Harborough District Council and FCC Environmental Ltd, who work together to maintain and improve the town and district.

Help if you don't want to join in with Halloween 

Halloween is fast approaching and while it brings fun for some, we also know many people don't want to take part. 

That's why our Community Safety Partnership team has joined up with Leicestershire Constabulary to produce a poster that you can print and display to show that you don't want to be disturbed at Halloween. 

If you don’t want trick and treaters at your door, download the poster from our website or email communitysafety@harborough.gov.uk to request a copy.

If you or members of your family are going trick or treating, then please follow these guidelines:

• Only visit properties you know are taking part and be considerate to others while moving between places

• Look out for properties with pumpkins outside that indicate residents are happy to be visited

• Always respect the 'No trick or treaters poster'

• Make sure young children are always accompanied by an adult

•  If older children are going out unaccompanied remind them to:
    - Keep to well-lit areas, wear reflective clothing and carry a torch
    - Use the green cross code when crossing the street
    - Never talk to strangers who approach them

Stay safe on Bonfire Night and Diwali

If you want to enjoy fireworks at Diwali or on Bonfire Night we strongly suggest going to organised events rather than using fireworks in your garden or at private events.

This ensures there are fewer firework related accidents and it also minimises disturbance for other people and animals. If you do intend to use fireworks then please follow the firework code and consider others by:

• Informing your neighbours so they have plenty of time to prepare

• Only buying fireworks from a legitimate retailer

• Checking the fireworks you buy are suitable for the size of garden and conform to British Standard (BS 7114)

• Storing fireworks in a metal box, kept closed between use 

• Never holding a lit firework and always wearing gloves when holding a sparkler

Don't forget, it's illegal to:

• Possess a firework if you are under 18 years old

• Set off fireworks after midnight on 5 November

• Set off fireworks (including sparklers) in the street or public place

Breaking these laws can result in an on the spot fine of £90. For information on organised bonfire and firework displays check Visit Harborough's website

You're invited to Remembrance weekend events

Harborough district will mark this year's Remembrance Day and Armistice Day with a number of events being held across the district:

Sunday 9 November, Remembrance Sunday

The Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire, members of the Royal British Legion, and the Chairman and Leader of Harborough District Council, will attend Market Harborough’s primary service of remembrance at St. Dionysius Church, adjacent to the High Street, on Sunday 9 November. Everyone is welcome to attend the service which starts at 10am (please be seated by 9.50am).

The service will be followed, at approximately 10.40am, by a parade along the High Street to the war memorial where the act of remembrance and two-minute silence will take place prior to 11am. The parade will include a marching band, local cadet units, scouts, guides, brownies and cubs. A contingent of armed forces veterans from across the local area will also attend.

In Lutterworth, St Mary’s Church is holding a remembrance service which will start at 9.30am. This will be followed by the annual parade which will march off at 10.30am from the Wycliffe Rooms. It will then proceed to the Memorial Gardens for a service of remembrance and a wreath laying ceremony. Harborough District Council's Armed Forces Champion, Cllr Jo Asher, will attend and will lay a wreath on behalf of the people of the district. 

The Kibworth Band and Kibworth Youth Band will be playing during the annual Kibworth remembrance parade which starts at 10.30 at Grammar School Hall followed by a service at St Wilfred's Church.

In Broughton Astley, the annual remembrance parade will start from at Thomas Estley College - check locally for start details.

Tuesday 11 November, Armistice Day

A short service of remembrance will take place in Market Harborough near the war memorial on the Market Square, to mark the moment when the guns fell silent on the Western Front in 1918.

This service, which will be conducted by the Chair of the Market Harborough Branch of the Royal British Legion, Stewart Harrison and the Reverend Phil Bryson, will include a two-minute silence at 11am. Wreaths will then be laid at the Memorial Gardens gate.

Local residents and businesses are advised that the period of silence will begin and end with a loud noise as a maroon is fired. Everyone is invited to attend the ceremony and join the two-minute silence.

In Lutterworth, the Royal British Legion will be holding a short service at the war memorial gardens, starting at 10.50, to mark the two-minute silence.

A number of ceremonial events are being held across Harborough district. Please check arrangements in your local town or village with your parish council or place of worship.

Festive fun at Christmas - dates for your diary

It may only be October, but work is already well under way to prepare for Christmas festivities across Harborough district. 

As ever, a number of events are being planned - here are some dates for your diary:

• Saturday 22 November, 5pm to 8pm, Christmas lights switch on event in Market Harborough with music, Christmas carols and street entertainment

• Friday 28 November, from 3.30pm, Lutterworth Christmas lights switch on, central Lutterworth including festive favourites such as Santa's grotto, fun fair, mulled wine, Lutterworth Town Band, a hog roast, on stage entertainment and the switch on itself at around 7.30pm, followed by what has become the traditional fireworks display!

• Friday 28 November, late night shopping in Market Harborough

• Saturday 29 November, Artisan Fair on The Square, Market Harborough

• Thursday 4 December, Farmers Market on The Square, Market Harborough

• Friday 5 December, Christmas Fayre on The Square, Market Harborough

• Saturday 6 December, Broughton Astley Christmas Fayre and lights switch on

• Saturday 13 December, Artisan Fair on The Square, Market Harborough

• Thursday 18 December, Farmers Market on The Square, Market Harborough

And, while you're browsing the many fantastic retailers in Market Harborough, there will be a chance to vote for your favourite festive Christmas window display too.

Tip us off on fly-tipping 

Did you know that if you spot fly-tipped rubbish in Harborough district you can report it to us quickly and easily?

You may have seen our previous Tip-off campaign but, as a reminder, reporting fly-tipping is as simple as going to our website.

Just complete our short form with a few details about the location of the fly-tipped rubbish and we'll look into it.

If it’s on public land we’ll clear it up and if it’s private land then we’ll work with the landowner who is responsible for removing it.

When it comes to tackling fly-tipping, we are:

• Committed to tackling environmental crime across the district

• Exploring ways to support on-going deterrence and enforcement activity

• Building on a reduction in fly-tipping reports between 2023/24 to 2024/25, with a 59% decrease in incidents since launching our ‘Tip-Off’ campaign in 2016

• Deploying our enviro-crime team to conduct daily vehicle and foot patrols in hotspot areas

• Actively engaging with local communities and landowners to improve visibility, install deterrents and encourage prompt reporting of fly-tipping

• Using CCTV surveillance to gather evidence and issuing fixed penalty notices of up to £400 for fly-tipping offences. 

• Working with partners including the police and other rural crime teams

• Using publicity to foster awareness and promote responsible waste disposal.

Head to our website for more information where you'll find advice for homeowners, businesses, landowners and more, including where to find your nearest waste disposal site.

Campaign highlights how lingering litter lives on

We joined other councils across Leicestershire in a social media campaign to highlight the lasting environmental impact of litter in September.

The Litter Lives On campaign encouraged people to think twice about how they dispose of waste and consider the long-term impact of litter and how long it can take to degrade.

Designed to raise awareness around the enduring presence of waste in our countryside, the campaign highlighted how common litter items from crisp packets to plastic bottles can linger in the environment for hundreds of years, causing long-term damage to ecosystems and wildlife. 

The campaign used multiple images of aged pieces of litter such as cans and plastic bottles to raise awareness of the enduring presence of waste. The items in our photos were found in Leicestershire and probably date to the 1970s.

Littering is a criminal offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Councils can issue fixed penalty notices up to £500 to anyone caught littering. Litterers can also face a fine in court of up to £2,500.

More information about the campaign and some interesting facts can be found on the Leicestershire Waste Partnership website.

Marking Black History Month

We're marking Black History Month this month which this year has a theme of “Standing Firm in Power and Pride." The theme is a powerful tribute to the resilience, strength and unwavering commitment to progress that defines the black community across the globe.

Information about the varied programme of events being held in and around Leicester celebrating black history is available online.

Supporting Fair Trade in Harborough district

We marked Fairtrade Fortnight by flying the Fairtrade community flag from 22 September to 5 October. 

The campaign aims to increase the awareness of Fairtrade products and principles. Market Harborough is an official Fairtrade town with an active Fairtrade community and volunteer-run website which features useful information and an interactive map detailing businesses across the town who support Fairtrade. 

Find out about Fairtrade online.

£870,000 of Community Grant Fund improvements for communities

We have awarded more than £870,000 to improvement projects as part of our £1 million Community Grant Fund this year.

We set up the fund to support town and parish councils/meetings and community organisations to deliver lasting improvements district wide.

The Community Grant Fund was set up in July 2024 and has seen a total of £870,495 awarded to parish and town councils to support them in delivering community projects.

The council’s Cabinet Sub-Committee Grants agreed on 24 September to allocate the final grants for 2024-25 totalling £205,785.94.

Some 16 projects received funding towards capital expenditure that will create lasting assets, such as improvements to buildings, facilities or purchasing and installing equipment.

The £1 million Community Grant Fund will continue in 2025-26 and 2026-27.

Youth Council gains new members

The first Youth Council meeting of the new academic year took place last week at Lutterworth College and welcomed six new members. The members have agreed to have roles including Chair and Vice Chair and began the process of appointing to these roles.

The young people were invited to express an interest in each role and will now work on manifestos and present them to the Youth Council before the voting begins. The outcomes will be announced at November’s meeting.

Members also took part in our Community Wellbeing Plan consultation last month and five members of the Youth Council were on the judging panel for our Community Awards Young Person of the Year category.

They met up over the summer to go through nominations and selected their winner and runner up. Young Person of the Year (11-18) was Ryan Johnson, with two runners-up: Jacob Hall and Book Buddies 

Winter preparedness - flooding

Extreme weather is becoming the new normal with the UK experiencing more frequent and intense weather events due to climate change. In England there are around 6.3 million properties in areas at risk of flooding and climate change increases the likelihood and severity of flood events. 

Last winter, the Environment Agency issued over 3,000 flood alerts, over 1,600 flood warnings and three severe flood warnings to people at risk. Yet fewer than half (47%) of those polled agreed they have a good understanding of how to protect their home. 

Earlier this year, we supported communities that suffered internal flooding following the heavy rain on 6 January with a flood support scheme.

As we head towards winter, it's timely to remember that we can all take steps to minimise the risk of flooding. Here are some things you can do to prepare and protect your property if flood warnings are issued:

• Sign up for flood alerts 
• Check for flood warnings by postcode and assess if you’re at risk 
• Check before you travel – find travel updates online or by listening and following the local radio 
• Stay up to date with weather warnings and weather information 
• Sandbags are available in emergencies
• Ensure you have your own household or business flood plan in place 
• If it's stormy, empty any water butts in the garden before the rain starts as this will help reduce the rainwater flow into the drains when a storm arrives
• Check that your home, garden drains and guttering are free-flowing – clear out any leaves or other waste so rainwater can more easily flow away

• Have a look at the roadside drains around your house and clear any leaves or debris that you can – or get in touch with the county council if blocked

There is lots of helpful advice online on protecting yourself from future flooding.

If you think that your home is at risk of flooding it may be helpful to buy some sandbags from a DIY outlet, ready to use in case of a flood. 

The county council is the lead flood agency for Leicestershire and offers information about flooding and how to report it on their flooding. Information is also available on the Local Resilience Forum website.

Summary of who to contact about flooding

• For flooding on roads, small rivers and streams please contact the county council. This includes blocked drains or grates on highways. They will also help you with groundwater surface flooding, as well as flooding in streams, brooks and small rivers. 
• For major river flooding contact the Environment Agency if you are at risk due to rising river levels. Their Floodline number is 0345 988 1188. 
• For sewer flooding or flooding due to burst pipes especially if the flooding is coming from the public sewer, contact the water company. If the flooding is due to heavy rain, they may need to wait for the flood water to subside before they can investigate. You should also contact your insurer so they can give you help and advice. 

Winter preparedness - keeping your home warm

With cooler weather on its way it's worth remembering the serious impact cold weather can have on our health. 

Health professionals advise that it is important to heat the rooms you use to at least 18°C if you can, particularly if you have reduced mobility, are 65 and over, or have a health condition such as heart or lung disease.

Other advice includes:

• Adding extra layers of clothing to keep warm 

• Heat all the rooms you use and try to heat the living room during the day and then your bedroom just before you go to sleep

• Keep curtains open during the day to allow warmth into your home but close them at dusk

• Keep the windows closed to block out draughts and help keep heat in

• Check on frail and older neighbours, especially those living alone or who have health conditions to make sure they are safe, warm and well. 

• Citizens Advice offer energy advice including help if you are struggling to pay your bills and support with reading your energy meter. 

• Many organisations, including Age UK, offer energy saving tips to save money

• The county council provides energy efficiency grants that you may be eligible for and the Home Energy Retrofit Offer (HERO) provides advice to households on how to improve energy efficiency.

Communities to benefit from theatre and play upgrades

Community facilities are set to be boosted by the allocation of £163,500 of developer contributions.

Councillors approved the release of the Section 106 funds for:

• Fleckney Duckpond Players (£127,170) for new theatre equipment to be stored and used at Fleckney Sport Centre including a modular, movable stage, lighting installation, sound infrastructure, backdrop and curtains.

• North Kilworth Parish Council (£35,393) for upgrades to the village playground including resurfacing, installation of two gates and three benches and creation of toddler and junior zones with new play equipment.

Harborough Physical Activity Awards

Nominations are now closed for the Physical Activity Awards which will this year be held at Lutterworth Leisure Centre on Wednesday 19 November. 

Judges will assess nominees who have achieved amazing things from competing on an international stage to leading or helping out their local junior team or making a difference to their community.

Thanks for taking part in our consultations

Thank you to everyone who took part in our Community Wellbeing Plan consultation last month. We received 86 responses to our online survey and spoke with a similar number of people at our in-person events around the district.

The feedback we received will be analysed and considered as the draft plan is updated. Councillors will consider the draft plan in the new year.

By-election in Fleckney Ward

A by-election is taking place in Fleckney Ward on Thursday 6 November 2025.

Polling stations will be open on 6 November from 7am to 10pm. If you live in Fleckney Ward please check your polling card for information about the polling station for this election. Valid photo ID is required to vote.

Need NHS help fast and it isn't life-threatening?

The NHS in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland has issued new advice to help you get the right NHS 
care when you need it quickly. They recommend just two simple steps for situations when it isn’t life-threatening:

• Step 1: Try to manage the problem yourself or get help from a local pharmacy, NHS 111 online, or the NHS App

• Step 2: If that doesn’t work or the problem is more serious, contact your GP practice or NHS 111 (when your practice is closed). They will help arrange the right appointment at your GP practice or other nearby services, including appointments for the same day if you need it.

Following this advice will help you get care from the right place, with the right health professional, and 
avoid long waits or trips to walk-in services that might not be suitable.

Contact your local councillor

Do you want to raise an issue with your local councillor? Head to our website to find out which councillors represent your ward and how to contact them. You'll find all their contact details and information about their political affiliation and personal interests.

You can search for your local councilors by postcode, political party, ward or name. From the same page on our website you can also find details about your local MP.