Get up to date with Harborough news and events!

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News and features from Harborough District Council - July 2024

Phil Knowles
Leader of Harborough District Council

Welcome to your July newsletter!

There are lots of great events taking place this summer. Don't miss the popular Classic Car Show which is always well-attended in Market Harborough town centre. There are also lots of activities to get involved with across the district.

Check out the short videos about what's on offer across the district and please share them if you can. Also take a look at the interactive map online for more summer fun!

FoxConnect is a public on-demand bus service, connecting the rural areas of South West Leicestershire. You can book your journey through the mobile app or the dedicated call centre.

The service uses low-emission, fully-accessible vehicles making it better for the environment and rider friendly.

Enjoy reading the first in our Spotlight series focusing on villages across the district with Gilmorton showcasing their popular beer festival and new Facebook and Instagram pages for Gilmorton Parish Council.

Please take some time to complete the Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland Physical Activity & Wellbeing Residents’ Survey.
Your feedback is key to shaping your local physical activity and wellbeing opportunities. The survey closes on Sunday 14 July.

If you're out and about this summer, we're asking residents to share their photos of the events and super parks and play areas across the district. Please send them to communications@harborough.gov.uk!

Please read on for all the latest news, grant details, events and service updates.

Best wishes,

Phil

Apply for grant funding now

We are encouraging eligible organisations and businesses to apply now for the Harborough district rural arts, creative, heritage and cultural grant before the grant closes on 26 July 2024.

The scope of the grant is to enhance existing and new visitor activities by investment in capital development projects and is open to applications from businesses and organisations providing arts, creative, heritage and cultural activities for public participation in rural areas of Harborough district.

Eligible organisations can apply for a minimum of £5,000 grant funding up to a maximum of £20,000 with 10% of total project cost required by match funding.

This grant funding must only be used to provide lasting assets such as a building or equipment purchases. Examples may include, but are not limited to:

Funding for local art galleries, museums, or community libraries to refurbish premises and improve exhibition spaces.
Funding for works to provide creative maker spaces.
Purchasing or altering premises to create spaces for arts, cultural, heritage or creative activities.
Purchasing equipment that enables locally-led music, theatre or dance performances, art exhibitions, tours, author events or film screenings.

Before you apply, please read the guidance for the fund including eligibility criteria.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your project, please contact business@harborough.gov.uk

The closing date for applications is 26 July 2024

Steady Steps is a 24-week exercise programme designed to help individuals increase their strength and balance and therefore reduces the likelihood of falling.

The programme is a self-referral and includes:

Tailored seated and standing exercises
Floor exercises (if appropriate)
Strength exercises using bands, balls, light weights and techniques for getting down and up from the floor

The Active Harborough team are currently planning for the next Steady Steps cohorts and are looking for residents interested in the programme (on their own or another's behalf) to complete the short form on this web page.

The locations for the 2024-25 cohorts are to be confirmed but a likely to be in Kibworth, Fleckney, Bushby, Lutterworth and Market Harborough.

We will also soon publish details about brand new 'Chatty Chairs' sessions. These sessions are a step down on the pathway from the Steady Steps programme and are totally chair based.

If you have any questions about the Steady Steps programme or have trouble accessing the form, please email activetogether@harborough.gov.uk

Find out more

Spotlight on Gilmorton

Gilmorton's family-friendly beer festival is taking place from Friday 23 - Sunday 25 August 2024 at the Pavilion, Kimcote Road, Gilmorton. This is the 21st beer festival and a super event for the whole community to enjoy.

Last year's Beer Festival raised over £16,000 for the local charities, groups and good causes that the event support, and is run completely by volunteers who live in the village, with similar sums raised year on year.

There are lots of great clubs and groups in Gilmorton including a Women's Institute group, a Gilmorton History Group, and an Active Friends of Gilmorton School PTA who run several events per year.

A First Friday Coffee Morning is held on the first Friday of each month from 10am - 12 noon in the village hall. £2 per person for tea or coffee and biscuits. In May, Lutterworth Age Concern, paid the group a visit and gave an insight into their services.

The regular coffee mornings are not just for the older person. Children, babies and their parents, passing cyclists, newlyweds are all very welcome. If you have a moment to spare please do pay them a visit – you will receive a very warm welcome and may be pleasantly surprised.

The village hall free book exchange is also accessible during these times. Just drop in your finished books and pick up some new ones.

There is no website for the group but they regularly advertise on local Facebook pages and in the parish magazine.

Gilmorton Parish Council has recently modernised communication with residents with the introduction of their own Instagram account and Facebook account to share information such as the annual Christmas lights switch on event which launched in Gilmorton in 2023.

In other exciting developments, pending is an introduction of pickleball at the tennis courts, with equipment purchased via Parish Council funds. Markings have been added to the resurfaced tennis courts in June.

Finally, if you'd like to explore Gilmorton's history on foot, you can find free a printable and downloadable heritage walking trail online.

Get involved this ‘Thank you Day’ 2024

Thank you Day 2024 is on Sunday 7 July!

It is a day to celebrate and give thanks to those who go above and beyond for us. This could be anyone- teachers, neighbours, carers, volunteers, it is an opportunity to thank these individuals who go the extra mile and play an important role in our communities.

An incredible 15 million people have participated in Thank you Day celebrations and you could add to this number this year. Perhaps you want to host your own Thank you Day community takeover event in your local area and there are many different ideas and ways you can get involved.

From coffee mornings to hosting games in the sun, there are lots of ways to thank local charities, businesses, community groups and all those people who always offer a helping hand to make the Harborough District a great place to live and work.

Whether you are looking for opportunities to give back to your community or environment, or have opportunities for people to give back, you can utilise the free service from Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL) to search or publicise volunteering opportunities.

From Education Volunteers with Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust to visitor experience volunteers with Canal and River Trust.

Why not try playing the Harborough Lotto as a way of saying thank you to your local charities and organisations.

For more information on how to play and to buy tickets online visit the Harborough Lotto Website

Find volunteer roles

Gearing up for a great summer

We are supporting local company Harborough Live Events to host the much loved Classic Car show which returns to Market Harborough on Sunday 7 July.

Last year an estimated 20,000 people enjoyed the show in the town centre with 400 classic vehicles on display - it's definitely not an event you'll want to miss!

There will be food and drink vendors on The Square and many businesses through the town will be open for visitors. Street entertainers Pemberton and Hague will be roaming the streets delivering performance comedy acts and other live music acts at intervals during the day.

The town centre is pedestrianised for the event so road closures will be in place on Sunday 7 July from 6.30am until 5pm. These include the following areas:

The Square
St Marys Road at the junction with Mill Hill Road to the junction of High Street
Northampton Road at the Bridge to the junction with High Street
Coventry Road at the entrance to the Commons car park to the junction of High Street
Abbey Street at the junction with Fairfield Road to the junction with High Street
High Street at the junction with Bowden Lane to the junction of Northampton Road
Roman Way at the junction with Kings Head Road to the junction of Church Square
Kings Road at the junction of Doddridge Road.to the junction of Church Street
Church Street at both junctions to High Street
Church Square at junctions with Church Street, Roman Way and Adam and Eve Street
Adam and Eve Street for its entire length at junctions between Church Square and St Mary’s Road

You can find council-owned car park options on our website.

The Harborough Community Toilet Scheme provides businesses with a valuable opportunity to help the community by opening up their doors to members of the public during normal working hours for free use of clean, safe and accessible toilets. Participating local businesses display a blue sticker to display in their shop window.

If you're visiting the event and would like to share any photographs or feedback about the day that we can share, please email: communications@harborough.gov.uk and let us know if you would like your photograph to be credited.

Save money and go green with Solar Together

Harborough District Council declared a climate emergency in 2019. The Council has committed to reducing its own emission to net zero, as far as practically possible, by 2030. We also want to support residents, businesses, and communities in Harborough District to reduce their emissions too.

Solar Together provides a fantastic opportunity to benefit from the group buying power to get the best deal on solar panels, providing renewable energy and which will help fight climate change.

How does it work?

1. Registration: you can register for free and without obligation at www.solartogether.co.uk/Harborough. When you register online, you will be asked questions about your house, roof, and electricity usage. If you are registering for battery storage only, you will be asked about your current solar PV system and electricity usage. If you don’t know the exact figures for your roof size or electricity usage, we can help you estimate with industry or local averages. You can enter more accurate information when you have it.

2. Auction: The auction is a reverse auction, meaning the lowest bid wins. The winning bid sets the price for all solar systems and battery systems. All installers are pre-vetted and must comply with our criteria to guarantee the quality of the offer.

3. Personal recommendation: After the auction, you will receive a personal recommendation which will include information about the winning installer, a complete system, costs and savings. This information is for you to consider, if you have more questions you can always contact the Solar Together Helpdesk.

4. You decide: After you have received your personal recommendation, you will need to decide whether you want to accept it or not.

To ensure you make a well-informed decision we will offer you the opportunity to watch our webinar where you will hear from the winning installer. You can also contact our helpdesk with any questions you may have.

When you are ready to make a decision, you can accept or decline your personal recommendation. If you choose to go ahead and accept with Solar Together, we will ask you for a £150 deposit. This deposit is conditionally refundable; more information can be found in the deposit conditions.

5. Installation: if you accept, the winning installer will contact you to survey your roof and set an installation date.

Lutterworth Banking Hub provides banking services for the community

A shared Banking Hub, set up by Cash Access UK, is open at 19 High Street, Lutterworth, LE17 4AT. The Banking Hub offers quick and convenient access to cash and face-to-face banking services.

Opening hours:

9am – 5pm, Monday – Friday

The Hub has a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks and building societies can carry out regular cash transactions, whenever the Hub is open.

Transactions available at the counter:

Withdraw cash
Deposit cash
Deposit cheques
Pay utility bills
Check your account balance
Collect change (registered business customers)

There is also a private space where you can speak to a Community Banker from your own bank about more complicated banking issues on the day your bank is in the Hub.

Community Banker availability:

Monday: Barclays

Tuesday: NatWest

Wednesday: Santander

Thursday: HSBC

Friday: Lloyds

Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) is a free and exciting holiday programme for school-aged children and young people receiving benefits-related free school meals.

HAF sessions offer a variety of fun activities alongside a nutritious meal.

From the beginning of June 2024 parents of eligible children should have started receiving their HAF voucher codes from Hello@holidayactivities.com.

If your child receives benefits related free school meals and you haven’t received a code, please get in contact with your child’s school.

Refurbishments on track at Lutterworth and Harborough

The progress at Lutterworth is on plan the reception and retail areas to be completed towards the end of July with the café area and new soft play to follow shortly afterwards.

The old dome at Harborough leisure centre has now been removed, but both the dome and sports hall have played a key role in sustaining the Netball League across Harborough over the years, particularly as they were indoor so players could participate no matter what the weather!

On average 10 hrs of netball per week at the centre
Ages range from 5 through to 70 years.
On average 1,700 attendances per month
Leagues from Under 11s through to senior walking netball

Find out more about Market Harborough netball league.

The bowls area at Harborough Leisure Centre continues to house the temporary gym and group exercise until early September 2024, before the bowls leagues begin in mid-September.

Everyone Active is keeping both members and visitors updated on developments via social media channels and via dedicated websites for both Lutterworth Sports Centre and Harborough Leisure Centre

Lots of good reasons to Visit Harborough this summer

Did you know the Visit Harborough District new tourism leaflets are sustainably sourced and fully recyclable?

Suppliers participate in a Carbon Capture Scheme where all the CO2 is measured and then trees are planted to offset the loss of CO2 in the environment. Vegetable based inks are also used in the print process.

You can pick up one of these leaflets at a local information points, visitor attractions, hotels and many more venues across the Harborough District.

Find a range of outdoor activities, visitor attractions, family days out, indoor fun and more this summer using our interactive online map.

Watch our Taste The Place video to find delicious inspiration or check out the handy cycle maps, and exciting Fitcation active escapes to be founded right on your doorstep!

You can also click below to watch our short video showcasing the district's much loved market towns, glorious countryside, boutique independent shops and eateries, unusual overnight accommodation and fun filled activities for everyone 👇

Visit Harborough

Solar technology improves Harborough Innovation Centre’s carbon footprint

A Solar PV System recently installed at Harborough Innovation Centre has significantly reduced the building’s emissions.

Harborough District Council invested in 222 solar panels fitted on the south, east and west-facing roofs of the building.

Since the switch-on at the beginning of May 2024, the solar technology has generated 8 MWh of electricity, enough to run the average home for over three years, and it has saved over eight tonnes of CO2.

The solar panels also feed into the electric vehicle car chargers on-site meaning that any solar energy not used by the building in the daytime can be used to power electric vehicles parked at the centre.

The Solar PV System is expected to save the council more than £500k over the next 20 years, based on current energy pricing.

Harborough Innovation Centre is a business hub situated north of Market Harborough with 52 individual office spaces, virtual services, meeting rooms and day offices, onsite café, and reception services. Established in 2011 and funded by Harborough District Council, European Regional Development Fund and East Midlands Development Agency, Harborough Innovation Centre has supported more than 250 businesses since opening.

The building already has strong eco credentials, with biomass heating, rain-water recycling, LED lighting throughout, plus electric vehicles chargers and a large cycle-shelter.

For more information about meeting rooms and workspaces at Harborough Innovation Centre call 01858 414200, email hic@harborough.gov.uk or visit their website.

Harborough Innovation Centre

Career support for all

Are you considering a new job, a career change, or have you just left school or university? Perhaps you're considering returning to work after a long break or would like a voluntary role to gain experience to boost your career.

If you're not sure of your next move and would like some help with reaching your career goals, or even just taking the first step in finding a job, there is plenty of free support available in the Harborough district.

The next Job Club is on Friday 2 August at The Wycliffe Rooms in Lutterworth. Whatever your employment history, if you've never had a job, or whether you are looking for the next challenge in your career, come along and speak to our friendly, professional careers advisors who will listen to you and can provide practical support and advice. You don't need to make an appointment so please come along anytime between 1pm - 3pm

In the meantime, check out exciting opportunities in the Harborough district. Find local jobs, apprenticeships, training, and support for both employers & job seekers and more!

Becoming Self-Employed

Training and qualifications

Resources and support

Apprenticeship opportunities

Local jobs

Volunteer roles

If you're a local employer looking for fresh talent for your workforce get in touch today and register your interest for the job fair or other recruitment events in Harborough district.
Email: business@harborough.gov.uk

Find out more

A Safer Summer in Harborough District

Summer is a time to be enjoyed by all, so it is important to be tolerant of the occasional BBQ or children playing in the sunshine.

If your neighbours are getting a little loud, ask if they'd mind keeping it down - they may not realise it's so loud.

However, if you have concerns about anti-social behaviour you can report these via our website where you can also find advice, or online to the police.

If you need police attendance, call 101 at the time it is happening or 999 in an emergency.

Look out for the Community Safety Partnership vehicle which will be on tour across the Harborough district this summer.

The Community Safety Team are scheduling visits to villages to assist with anti-social behaviour enquiries, littering, fly tipping enforcement, bins or any other concerns that residents may have.

9 July: Great Glen, Oak Tree Road, outside the Parish Council office
7 August: Broughton Astley Village Hall
15 August: Café 55 in Thurnby

The vehicle will be on site from approximately 10.30am - 3pm so please drop by for a chat with a friendly face.

Community Safety Partnership

Warm Homes for Leicestershire

Leicestershire County Council’s Warm Homes service provides advice to residents to support affordable warmth. The service is currently delivering two projects:

Home Energy Retrofit Offer (HERO)

Eligible residents living in energy inefficient homes can receive tailored support via home visits to access grant funding or assess their homes to identify suitable improvements.

The scheme aims to support residents to have the knowledge and confidence to improve homes, affordable warmth and cut carbon emissions. The service will be promoting retrofit of homes and providing advice at events across the county through to March 2025.

Find out more about HERO

Home Upgrade Grant – more households could now be eligible.

The Home Upgrade Grant administered by the Warm Homes service together with YES Energy Solutions and E.ON Energy Solutions can provide homeowners and private tenants (subject to landlord contribution) with fully funded energy efficiency measures improving the warmth and comfort of homes, whilst also reducing energy bills, carbon emissions and levels of fuel poverty across the county.

The scheme supports households that do not have mains gas as a primary heating system such as those with electric, heating oil, LPG or solid fuel heating. Households that only use gas for cooking or secondary room heating can still apply.

As the scheme enters its second year the income eligibility threshold has been increased reflecting the higher cost of living on household finances.

For more information including the full eligibility criteria, eligible postcode areas or to apply, visit the County Council's Green Living Leicestershire Home Upgrade Grant webpage.
Alternatively call project delivery partner YES Energy Solutions on 0330 912 6199, who will support residents with their applications.

Community assets given listing protection

More Assets of Community Value (ACV) have been designated by the council.

Assets of Community Value (ACV), also known as The Community Right to Bid, allows communities and parish councils to nominate buildings or land for listing protection as an asset of community value.

An asset can be listed if, in the opinion of the council, its principal use furthers their community's social well-being or social interests and is likely to do so in the future.

Most recently, Chequers Inn at Swinford, The White Hart South Kilworth, Fox and Goose Illston on the Hill, The Cherry Tree at Catthorpe and Thorpe Field in Church Langton have been successfully granted ACV listing from Harborough District Council.

If a listed asset goes up for sale, communities can ‘stop the clock’ for up to six months, giving the opportunity to get together and raise the finances to bid to buy it.

Show us your favourite parks and open spaces

Love Parks week is back from 26 July - 4 August 2024!

We'd love to hear all about your favourite picnic place, dog walk, open space or park in the Harborough district.

Whether it's a blooming wildflower area, a shady tree-lined picnic spot or a super slide in a children's play area - please send us your photographs and tell us why it makes you smile.

Email: communications@harborough.gov.uk

Find parks and open spaces in Harborough district

Physical Activity and Well-being Residents’ Survey 2024

Active Together, alongside Local Authority Physical Activity Teams and other physical activity, sport and wellbeing partners across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland, would like to understand how you feel about being active, your current habits and your future intentions.

This will help to identify what support and opportunities are needed in our local communities to help you and other residents lead healthy active lives.

The information you provide will be used by your Local Authority, Active Together and other physical activity and sport providers to shape a local physical activity and sport offer with a focus on improving residents’ health and well-being.

Don’t worry if you are not currently taking part in activity or not regularly attending sports sessions, your views are equally as important. If you require more information or guidance on how you can move a little more, find support online.

If opted in, all respondents will be in with a chance of winning one of 15 x £20 Amazon.co.uk Gift Cards. Please note residents must be over 18 years of age and live within Leicestershire, Leicester or Rutland to complete the survey.

The closing date to complete the survey is midnight on Sunday 14 July 2024.

Take the survey

Get creative and be a monster maker!

A new Monster Trail is coming to Harborough District!

The South Leicestershire Schools Partnership are developing a Harborough Monster Trail for children and families to enjoy when it launches later this year.

They are looking for creative designs from children across the Harborough district to develop monsters who represent the local area or local landmarks - such as the Foxton Locks Ness Monster, or the Fleckney Flamethrower!

What characteristics do they have? Do they like to slither and snuffle or shimmer and shine? Tell us what they like to eat and what they like to do! Let your imagination run wild!

To submit your entry, snap a photo and email it, along with a description of the monster's characteristics to: M.Khan@SouthWigston.LWLAT.org.uk

If your entry is selected it will be created by a graphic designer and printed and distributed across the Harborough District for families to find on the Monster Trail!

You'll also receive a certificate and framed photograph of your Monster Trail Monster!

Closing date for entries is: 18 July 2024.

We'll bring you updates about where the Monster Trail will be later this year via this newsletter and on our social media channels!

Dates for your diary

7 July: Classic Car Show in Market Harborough
9 July: Community Safety Partnership visit Great Glen
27 July: Artisan Fair on The Square in Market Harborough
2 August: Lutterworth Job Fair

Find more events across Harborough district