More than 4,000 people will head to the city to be part of the games,

which are set to feature around 21 sports in a wide range of sporting

venues.

 

City council leader Ross Willmott said: "It is thanks to the

successful partnership working between the council, the university and

local sporting organisations that our bid to host the 2009 Special

Olympics was successful.

 

"Now that we have set a date, I’d like to call on everyone in

Leicester to get behind the games and start to think about how they

can be involved and how they can help to make the event a big success

for all concerned".

 

Karen Wallin, Chief Operating Officer for Special Olympics GB said: "

Our athletes, volunteers and families are thrilled that the Games are

being hosted in Leicester in 2009. Many still remember the fantastic

event they experienced 20 years ago when the city hosted the third

national summer games in 1989 - an event which left not only a lasting

legacy for disability sport in the region but a benchmark to which all

other host cities have since aspired to".

 

The opening ceremony for the games will take place at the Walkers

Stadium on July 25th, 2009.

 

Leicester City Chief Executive Tim Davies said: "We are delighted to

lend our support and backing to the 2009 Special Olympics here in

Leicester, and to provide our first-class facilities at the Walkers

Stadium for the official opening ceremony.

"As a football club we have always attached a great deal of importance

to providing opportunities for people with learning disabilities

and our commitment to the 2009

Special Olympics reinforce that philosophy.

"We will do our utmost to help make the Games an enjoyable event for

everyone involved."

 

Leicester is the only city in the country to have hosted the games

twice. The 2009 games will take place on what will be the 20th

anniversary of the National Summer Games in Leicester.

All of the competing athletes will be based at Leicester University’s

new halls of residence in Oadby.

 

Professor Robert Burgess, Vice-Chancellor of Leicester University said

"The University of Leicester strongly supports the Special Olympics

and looks forward to welcoming the athletes to Leicester and to the

University's accommodation. It is a tremendous opportunity for the

City of Leicester".

 

Special Olympics GB currently serves over 8,000 athletes who take part

in year-round sports training and competition programmes.

Special Olympics Great Britain National Summer Games are held every

four years. The last National Summer Games were held in Glasgow in

2005.

 

The Leicester Games Office will be officially open for business in

January 2008. In the meantime, anyone wanting more details about the

2009 Special Olympics can ring Steve Humphries on (0116) 238 5000.

 

 

 

Teams of sports instructors will take it in turns to walk or run for

24 hours on treadmills in Braunstone Leisure Centre as part of the

Treadmill Challenge, which takes place from 10am on Thursday, November

22, until 10am on Friday, November 23.

 

Five-person teams of staff from leisure centres at Braunstone,

Leicester Leys, Evington and Aylestone will run continually on the

treadmills, throughout the day and overnight.

 

Members of the participating leisure centres will also be able to take

part, by signing up for 10-minute slots on the treadmill for £1 each.

 

Leisure centre staff have set themselves a target of raising £100,000

towards the cost of the forthcoming Special Olympics, which the city

is hosting in 2009.

 

The leisure centre whose team covers the most distance in 24 hours

will also win a trophy.

 

Further details and dates of how the games will be arranged and funded

are due to be announced over the coming months.

 

Leicester City Council’s sports marketing manager, Steve Humphries

said: "It is fabulous to see that the city’s leisure centres and local

communities already involved in raising funds for the games.

"The beauty of the Special Olympics is that there are opportunities

for everybody to get involved and make a difference."

 

Leicester City Council’s cabinet member for culture and leisure, Cllr

Andy Connelly, added: "The Special Olympics will be a fantastic event

for Leicester, and it is great to see people getting involved."

 

A NEW sports pitch specially designed for football has opened in Leicester. 
 
The new pitch at St Margaret’s Pastures Sports Centre, on St Margaret’s Way, opened to the public for the first time on Monday, November 19. 
 
The £28,000 facility includes a 3G surface – a special Astroturf surface recognised by sporting organisations including the Football Association, FIFA and the International Hockey Federation. 
 
It will now be used for seven-a-side football matches, and as a warm-up area for hockey, but will not be used for hockey matches. 
 
The sports centre also features changing areas, floodlights and a licensed bar. 
 
Facility manager Chris Kilby said: “We have taken care to provide a surface that is top quality and will provide for all football needs, from casual play to the competitive league games. 
 
“We hope people will come along to enjoy a professional football experience. The surface looks great and should be perfect to play on.” 
 
Leicester City Council’s cabinet member for culture and leisure, Cllr Andy Connelly, said: “This new sports pitch will help increase the opportunities for people to play on a high-quality sports surface. It is a great addition to the sports centre.” 
 
For further details, or to book, call 0116 233 3095. 
 

1/11/07

 

The band are currently on a European tour promoting their debut single

Frontline Hearts, which was released in August this year.

 

Council event organizer Simon Brown said: "The band will be on route

to a gig in Amsterdam on Sunday but were very keen to play at our

bonfire event as they all have great memories of the fireworks at

Abbey Park".

 

The Displacements will be on the main stage at 7pm. The gates to the

park open at 5pm.

Also on stage will be local band Jersey Budd along, with a spectacular

fire juggling show.

The Children’s Firework display is at 6.45pm and the main fireworks

are at 8pm.

 

Tickets are on sale now at Leicester Tourist Information Centre, and

at the main gate on the night. Last entry is 7.45pm.

 

 

Leicester Leys Leisure Centre closed its swimming pool, showers and

changing areas on Monday, October 29, for work to begin on a £250,000

revamp.

 

However, an alteration to the work schedule means work won’t begin

until November 12.

 

Leisure centre bosses have decided to reopen the pool so visitors can

continue to enjoy it until work starts.

 

It means the three-month closure will now run from November 12 to

January 7, 2008.

 

The revamp of the centre in Beaumont Leys will involve installing new

changing areas, new poolside disabled changing rooms and refurbished

female foyer toilets.

 

All corridors will be repainted and get new carpets, and a new

swimming pool chlorination system will be installed.

The rest of the leisure centre, including the sports hall, squash

courts, fitness suite, climbing wall, bar and crèche will remain open

as normal.

 

During the closure, staff will be working on an improved programme of

swimming lessons and fitness suite sessions, along with a new swimming

timetable to include ladies-only sessions and aquafit classes, which

will begin once the pool reopens.

 

Full details of the services on offer at all city sports centres are

available on www.leicester.gov.uk/sports

 

 

 

The new programme coincides with the closure of the pool as part of a

£250,000 refurbishment programme.

 

Facility manager Roy Cole said: "These sessions will provide a great

opportunity for local people to try out new activities in our sports

hall."

 

The sessions get under way on Monday November 5th.

They include aerobics, badminton, basketball

circuit training, and badminton and table tennis for people over 50.

 

The centre is also offering the chance for people to learn first-aid.

For more information, contact the centre on (0116) 233 3060.

 

 

Leicester City Council’s Western Park Golf Course and its sports

regeneration unit will be running a six-week programme of free taster

sessions for under 14s.

 

The sessions will start on November 10 and 11, and take place for six

weekends. Sessions will take place on Saturdays from 1-3pm and

2.15-3.45pm, and on Sundays from 11-12pm.

 

In addition, there will be a one-off girls-only taster session on

Saturday, November 25, from 11-12.30pm.

 

After the first six weeks, sessions will continue each week for a

small charge. For information or to book contact Gary Acey on 07966

312899.