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Frozen food distributor Central Foods has launched tasty new, gluten-free and vegan Asian-style prawns for the food service sector. The Menuserve gluten-free, vegan Asian prawn snack selection is suitable for plant-based diners, yet so tasty that it will appeal to all. Being gluten free means it’s also ideal for coeliac diners and those avoiding gluten, too. The new product has been launched just in time for caterers who are starting to plan their festive menus, as it’s ideal for parties, buffets, event catering and many other menu options. Gordon Lauder, MD of Central Foods, said: “Our Menuserve range is well-regarded in the food service sector, and we are delighted to be extending the range with an exciting new product which has an Asian twist. “This is the time of year when Christmas menu planning starts, and food service professionals are looking for great-tasting – and different - options which are easy to prepare and simple to serve. “We know that some venues are going completely plant-based for some events or certain courses, so this new menu item, alongside other vegan products that we supply, would work perfectly in a range of different scenarios from parties and platters to buffets and tapas.” The Menuserve gluten-free, vegan Asian prawn snack selection features three different varieties of snack – the torpedo, which is a filo-wrapped vegan prawn, the breaded, which is a crumbed vegan prawn, and the bubble, which is a battered vegan prawn. These Chinese restaurant-style products can be served as starters, on sharing platters, in tapas-style dishes, as part of a buffet or as street-food options. These tasty finger foods just happen to be gluten-free, as well as vegan, so they are ideal for customers with dietary requirements. The Asian vegan prawn selection is available in cases of 48, featuring 16 of each variety, and simply needs heating before serving. Central Foods, based at Collingtree near Northampton, is one of the UK’s leading frozen food distributors. The company was founded more than 25 years ago and is a catering partner across the whole food service sector, supplying to hotels, restaurants, bars, universities, schools, pubs, care homes, garden centres, leisure outlets and more. It currently sells to over 180 independent wholesalers, as well as larger national and regional wholesalers. For more information about Central Foods visit www.centralfoods.co.uk

The team at an East Yorkshire heat recovery from refrigeration business is celebrating after reaching the final of a national heating award. Beverley-based DK Heat Recovery has been shortlisted for the Collaboration of the Year award in the 10th annual HVR awards that celebrate the industry’s best products, businesses and people. DK Heat Recovery’s Marketing Director, Nigel Upson is delighted, adding: “ The HVR Awards are prestigious awards in the heating and ventilation sector. We’re delighted to have reached the final for the work that we did with Crimple in Harrogate where we used the waste heat from the refrigeration plant serving the Food Hall chill cabinets to supply the hot water for the whole site." The team face competition from Finn Geotherm and Mitsubishi Electric and will learn whether they have been successful at an awards dinner at the Chelsea Harbour Hotel in London on 5th October. Organised by Datateam Business Media, publisher of leading industry publication Heating & Ventilating Review, the HVR Awards have been championing innovation, excellence and achievement across the heating and ventilating industry for ten years. Based in Beverley, East Yorkshire with a satellite office in Peterborough, DK Heat Recovery is the sole UK agent of DK Kaelteanlagen GmbH's heat recovery systems and is supported by a network of installers and refrigeration engineers nationwide. It has installed heat recovery systems for food manufacturers, supermarkets, farm shops, butchers and garden centres over the last decade. DK Heat Recovery’s systems are suitable for use in any business that has refrigeration plant and a requirement for hot water or space heating.

Family brewer and pub operator Robinsons Brewery complete £1.25 million worth of investment in one month. July saw the refurbishment of three tenanted pubs in Cheshire: The Hawk Inn in Haslington, The Unicorn in Congleton, and The Swan & Chequers in Sandbach. The significant investments, each very different, showcase the brewery’s commitment to developing and enhancing its diverse 250-strong pub estate. The Hawk, The Unicorn, and The Swan & Chequers have all undergone extensive renovations, providing these villages and towns of Cheshire with inviting pubs for the community to enjoy. The investment sees the re-opening of a previously closed business, generating additional jobs within the region. Robinsons are also welcoming two new business partners onboard to operate two of the restored pubs and celebrating more than 30 years of partnership with their business partner at The Unicorn. This year, the Stockport brewers have invested the highest amount of capital expenditure across its pub estate, with 17 investment projects completed in 2023 so far. William Robinson, Managing Director (Pub Division) at Robinsons commented: “The investments we are making across our pub estate reflects dedication to our business partners and the communities they serve." "These recent investments and the innovation we are driving in our cask and keg beer range demonstrate our commitment to delivering a great experience for consumers, in unique and welcoming surroundings.” The Hawk Inn has benefited from a delicate restoration of a listed building, the well-loved Unicorn in Congleton was refreshed for its community and their interest in live sports, whilst The Swan & Chequers brings a brand new dimension to Sandbach with its transformed town centre pub. With these investments, Robinsons reaffirms its status as a key player within the pub industry.

Ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup final on Sunday which sees England play Spain, The Royal Parks charity has announced it will be creating a new natural grass hybrid pitch in Regent’s Park. The new pitch will enable the number of girls’ football teams playing in the Regent’s Park Youth League to treble from 32 to 110 teams by 2026. The pitch has been made possible thanks to a grant of £380k from the Premier League, the FA and the Government’s Football Foundation. Also contributing towards the costs are Westminster Council and The Royal Parks. Works will begin next week, and the pitch will be match-ready by the end of the year. Regent’s Park is home to The Hub, central London’s largest and most popular outdoor sports facility, with grass pitches for a variety of sports including football, rugby, lacrosse and cricket. Offering fantastic facilities in the heart of London, The Hub is continually looking for new ways to increase participation amongst under-represented groups. David Ellis, Sports Manager at The Royal Parks, said: “We wish the Lionesses the very best of luck this Sunday and we’re behind them all the way. They have provided a huge boost to the popularity of women’s football in this country and have really inspired more girls and women to get involved in sport." “The Royal Parks is committed to increasing community sport, and we want to encourage people from all walks of life to become more active and healthier. In particular, we are encouraging more girls’ and women’s teams to use our football pitches. We have seen girls’ football teams grow in Regent’s Park from 0 in 2018 to 32 today. With the creation of this new pitch, we want to treble that figure and we’d like to extend our thanks to the Football Foundation for providing a grant to help us meet our aspiration." Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “Thanks to investment from the Premier League, The FA and Government, the Football Foundation is directing more money than ever into ensuring communities across the country have access to great places to play." “Like every other facility the Football Foundation funds, the new hybrid pitch in Regent’s Park will provide equal access for women and girls, helping more people to enjoy all the benefits of participating in sport and physical activity.” In 2017, The Royal Parks received a £400k donation from Sports England to trial a natural grass hybrid pitch in Regent’s Park with the aim of increasing the number of hours a sports pitch can be played on per week and improving the player experience. This was the first trial in the UK in a community setting. The outcome was extremely positive with the number of hours that could be played on the pitch doubling from 12 hours to 25 hours a week. Player satisfaction of the pitch also rose from an average of six out of ten to nine out of ten. The new pitch will be a natural grass hybrid playing area with matting buried under the natural turf, allowing grass to grow through to help maintain the condition of the pitch throughout the year. Once fully grown, the visible blades of grass will be 90% natural and 10% artificial.

Community groups, parish councils and schools are being invited to apply for free packs of fruit trees and use them to plant new orchards. Leicestershire County Council has launched the new community orchards programme as part of its annual free tree scheme. Under the new initiative, groups are being encouraged to apply for the free orchard packs, which contain 10 apple and pear trees, stakes and other equipment needed to establish the orchard. The trees can be used to create a new orchard for the local community or to help restore and boost an existing orchard. The trees must be planted on sites which are open to the public, groups must have permission from the landowner to plant the trees, and all groups applying to the scheme need to commit to maintaining and nurturing the orchard in the long term. Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for the environment and the green agenda commented: "Orchards and trees play a vital role in enriching our ecosystem and improving biodiversity. The new orchards scheme gives community groups the opportunity to make a real difference to our environment and play their part in making Leicestershire a cleaner and greener place to live and work." "The creation of a number of new orchards throughout the county gives us a unique opportunity to create green spaces that not only provide fresh and healthy produce but also serve as havens for wildlife and a boost to our goal of helping to plant 700,000 trees in Leicestershire."

Leicester College welcomed students who have completed T levels to collect their results. The overall pass rate for this cohort is 95 per cent with 67 per cent of students achieving merit and distinction grades and 19 per cent achieving distinction grades. This is the first cohort of students to complete T levels at Leicester College, since the courses were first launched in September 2021, in the subjects of Education and Childcare, Construction, Digital and IT, or Health and Science. Students from these subject areas collected their results from the College’s Abbey Park Campus following the two-year courses. This is the first results day for T level students in Leicester and several students have already secured job offers or a place on a university course since completing their courses in June. Their case studies can be read on the Leicester College website. T levels are a new type of technical-focused qualification for students who want a vocationally-based qualification and are equivalent to three A levels. T levels in Engineering and Manufacturing, Legal, Finance and Accounting and Management and Administration are also now available at the College. Alfie Ibbot, a construction T level student, said: “I would highly recommend a T level course to other learners. It has given me so much confidence in myself and my ability, as well as improved my attention to detail. If you have your heart set on a career, then a T level can help you get there – go for it!” Vice Principal at Leicester College, Debi Donnarumma, said: “We’re excited to welcome students to the first T level results day to collect their results. The courses have proven very popular and the feedback that we’ve had from students, about the courses and the opportunities that have now opened up for them, has been really positive. “We’re looking forward to introducing more T level subject areas in the coming years, helping young people to progress into a range of exciting careers.” Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, Robert Halfon said: "T levels provide a unique ladder of opportunity for young people to gain the knowledge and on-the-job experience needed to progress into work, an apprenticeship or higher education. All the courses have been co-designed with employers to ensure that students get the skills they need to succeed." "From this September, there will be even more high-quality T levels available including agriculture and legal services, with more providers coming onboard, helping thousands of young people to progress into rewarding careers." Designed by employers with The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, T levels are two-year qualifications that combine classroom study and industry placements, giving students the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge for which employers are looking. Students who successfully pass all parts of their T level will gain UCAS points, like A level students, which will allow them to go on to university.

New research from Premium Credit shows more than 550,000 SMEs are currently struggling to pay tax bills with Corporation Tax and VAT top of the agenda. The study by the leading provider of finance for companies’ tax bills with SME owners and managers found the rising cost of living is adding to the pressure but issues with tax are a long-standing problem for companies across the country. Around 10% of UK’s 5.5 million SMEs say they are struggling to pay tax bills while up to 15% say they have had issues paying them in the past 10 years. The average value of the bill they struggled to pay was more than £45,600 but 10% had problems with bills of more than £100,000. Tax problems could be set to get worse, the research found. Around a fifth of SMEs (19%) say affording tax bills has become more difficult because of the cost of living crisis and more than a quarter (26%) say it is likely they will struggle to pay one or more tax bills in the next five years. Corporation tax is the bill firms are currently struggling to pay – more than half (54%) of those with problems paying tax say their issue is with Corporation Tax while 35% say they have issues with VAT. Premium Credit’s Tax and VAT funding proposition, which allows companies and business owners to spread the cost of their VAT, corporation tax and self-assessment tax payments for up to a year, saw a 68% rise last year in the amount it lent to fund VAT bills and a 53% increase in the amount lent for non-VAT bills. Jennie Hill, Chief Commercial Officer, Premium Credit (Specialist Lending) said: “SME finances are inevitably under pressure from the cost of living crisis and that has an impact on their ability to meet tax obligations but paying tax bills is a long-standing issue for companies and is certain to remain so." “Failing to pay bills on time will lead to fines from HMRC so any company which is struggling should consider spreading the cost for up to a year which for a small fee will help them to pay bills on time and improve cashflow when it is needed.” The research found that among firms who are struggling to pay bills nearly a quarter (24%) could layoff staff while 30% will consider raising funds from existing investors and 26% could look for new investors for the business. Around 29% think they will look to agree a payment plan with HMRC while 21% may borrow from family or friends.

myenergi, the eco-smart tech manufacturer, has announced a major partnership agreement with online car marketplace cinch that aims to bring EV home charging to the masses. The collaboration will see the two brands work closely together to provide cinch customers with exclusive discounts on the purchase and installation price of the entire myenergi zappi range. Available to purchase through the cinch website, drivers can expect to see savings of up to £280 on both tethered and untethered models. zappi is a smart charger with a difference. Grid-compatible as standard, it also has optional charging modes capable of utilising 100% green energy generated by consumers’ own renewable power. This means that drivers can effectively charge their EVs at home for free – zero fossil fuels, zero reliance on the grid. Jordan Brompton, co-founder and CMO of myenergi, commented: “We’re delighted to be partnering with cinch. As two companies both committed to driving the future and accelerating the transition to electrification, it really is the perfect pairing." “With the transition to electrification accelerating at pace, ensuring sufficient charging infrastructure is key to making EV adoption smooth, simple and hassle-free. With around 80% of all charging taking place at home, it’s important to have a reliable charger – like zappi – that’s not just suitable for charging today, but fit for the future too.” Abhishek Sampat, Head of Electric Vehicles at Constellation Automotive Group (BCA, cinch, webuyanycar.com), added: “With the 2030 ban on selling new diesel and petrol cars looming, collaboration is key to help the UK lead the way in electrification. Our partnership with myenergi will help to further accelerate EV adoption and provide a cost-effective way for our customers to access the market’s best eco-smart charging tech." “Drivers can now buy a car, organise delivery, specify an eco-smart EV charger and coordinate installation in one place. This makes the whole process quick and seamless.” The partnership is set to officially launch at the cinch-sponsored British Motor Show (17-20 August). To find your next car without the faff on cinch, visit www.cinch.co.uk . For more information about myenergi, or the eco-smart zappi EV charger, visit their website here

A Stratford businesswoman who stepped away from her dream career in the West End has been named a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. After a decade in the spotlight, the talented leading lady brought down the curtain on her showbiz lifestyle in pursuit of a new role – that of an entrepreneur. Today – from her HQ in Stratford-Upon-Avon, The PS Events Group delivers world-class party and events production and creation management for clients across the globe, including last year’s Qatar World Cup and eight years of working with Silverstone Grand Prix, next month, to name a few! Later on this year she will learn whether she’s been named Creative Entrepreneur of the Year at a glittering awards ceremony in London. The PS Events Group is a business that’s evolved from the footlights. Driven by an all-consuming creative passion and armed with a little black book the envy of the rich and famous, Lucy set about rewriting the second Act of her career. From a young age, performing was always in her sights. She said: “From a typical three-year-old going to dance classes, I then became completely obsessed with the world of theatre. I saw my first professional show with Liz Robertson as leading lady in My Fair Lady at the age of six and, 13 years later, one of my very first jobs was singing with her in a Sondheim celebration concert. It was a magical moment,” she recalls. “My parents were massively into theatre, my grandfather used to lead the Salvation Army Band and so it was a natural path for me to follow. I loved the idea that I could make money doing my passion.” Her first big break came aged 19, performing for Stephen Sondheim’s birthday at The Royal Albert Hall, while still at university in Leeds, and she went on to play lead roles in touring, West End and Broadway shows, including Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Carmen Diaz in Fame, leading lady in Godspell and Connie Burrelli in The Rat Pack. “I didn’t fall out of love with theatre. I fell out of love with doing the same thing day in, day out. I felt I had a bigger passion for creating. I also realised I really understood the psyche of experiences,” she confesses. “I have always been obsessed with sensory experiences and created an event out of anything, right from being a little girl creating dinner parties for my parents when they came home from work. I enjoy making people feel special.” Since establishing The PS Events Group in 2010, Lucy’s rise to entrepreneurial success has been meteoric and she boasts an enviable client list, with top names from the worlds of music, sport and TV. “I eventually started working for another corporate events company and realised that what they were doing we could do better, so I went in and basically trouble shot all of the shows they were putting out for corporate events and when that company eventually folded, I picked up all of their clients." “But there was a particular well-known celebrity who took a punt on me when I created his mother’s birthday party at the Savoy Hotel and it built from there.” Not even a global pandemic could get in the way of Lucy’s ambitions and, thanks to her innovation, PS Events not only survived, but thrived, while taking the concept of virtual experiences to innovative new levels. The PS Events Group also has two sister companies - The Prop Store and Performance Specialists, one-stop shops for decor, props, theming and celebrity contacts. Lucy is now also a sought-after consultant to other event companies and event departments within corporate settings. But there have been sacrifices for the 43-year-old mum of two, not least the struggle to attain that elusive work-life balance. “I literally work all the time,” she confesses. “I’m getting more of a balance because I’m expanding the team again but I struggle with guilt. I’m not maintaining a work-life balance, but I am working towards it.” So, other than hard work, what is the secret to Lucy’s business success? “We look at the journey of the guests from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave. I think of it a little bit like a soundtrack for the event. Imagine a film without any music. Watch it and then watch it again with music and see how you’ve been manipulated in your journey. “We are obsessively passionate about brand, individual experience, the guests’ event journey and executing our events at the highest elite quality.” Inspired by her own pursuit of a new dream, Lucy now finds herself measuring her own success by creating that dream for others – in the form of experiences. “I used to have imposter syndrome and I think to a certain degree I still do and that’s OK because I think the day you get complacent is the day your work isn’t the best it can possibly be.” She added: “I am stupidly well connected because of my theatre days. I literally know everybody and if I don’t know them, I know how to get to them. That includes the best suppliers, the celebrities, artists and designers in the industry." “When people come to me they have immediate access to all of this. I have created a business partially inspired by creating work for my incredible industry friends and fellow artists in creative experiences around the world." Find out more about the business here

This winter, Yorkshire Sculpture Park presents a new body of work by world-renowned ceramic artist and social media sensation, Florian Gadsby. An apprentice of Clay College Stoke co-founder Lisa Hammond MBE, Florian Gadsby’s, By My Hands at YSP is a celebration of this incredible young artist’s journey from apprentice to worldwide acclaim. Gadsby is creating a whole new body of work, available only at YSP, to showcase almost a decade of artistic discovery. It features new and tried-and-tested shapes, angled and simple forms, and beautiful pots coated in iron fired numerous times. Coinciding with the By My Hands exhibition, Penguin Books is publishing a new book of the same name, charting this celebrated craftsperson’s stratospheric career. The book will be available to buy from YSP Shop in store and online. Gadsby tells the very personal story of his artistic awakening, his education in England, Ireland and Japan, and the creativity, absolute commitment and discipline that has led him to become the cultural sensation he is today. With a following of 775,000 on Instagram and 1.8 million on TikTok, Gadsby shares daily behind-the-scenes footage of his processes, inspiring others to appreciate his craft and get creative. Initially documenting Hammond’s studio and practices, whilst introducing his own style of making, he now posts daily to more than 3 million followers and subscribers across various platforms. He hopes this will inspire other people to embrace and make their own creations through the craft he loves. Available to buy from YSP, Gadsby has donated an exclusive limited edition of approximately 60 beautiful and affordable angular vases. Glazed in his classic colours of white through to green, they will be marked with the artist’s stamp, which has been specially created for this YSP collaboration. A range of exclusive merchandise, including a canvas tote bag, 2024 calendar and mini prints of Gadsby’s stunning drawings will also be available to buy from YSP Shop, online and in store. Gadsby works impure, high iron rich stoneware clay to produce his precision wheel-thrown tableware and one-off decorative sculptures, using traditional tools, techniques and processes. His unique style and personality have garnered a multi-million following online since he burst onto the art scene in 2014, whilst his shop updates sell out in seconds to an appreciative worldwide client list and fanbase. Inspired by sleek metalwork, simple glassware and everyday wood craft objects such as bowls and pourers, Gadsby’s glazes are inherently detailed and full of depth. Muted tones, whites, blues, greys, and metallics permeate his collections and his personal style. His glazes are simple in composition, often crackled with iron-flecked surfaces; he uses varying percentages of red iron oxide to change their colours from white to blue to green, alongside a range of blacks and whites and other metallic, bronzes and gun-metal like slips and glazes. Events Meet The Artist and Book Signing 4 November 2023, 11.00 – 16.00 An opportunity to meet Florian Gadsby on the opening day of his exhibition, By My Hands. Visitors will be able to chat to him and ask questions about his practice. His book and merchandise will be available to buy in the shop, for signing by the artist during the event. £10.00 including free entry into YSP. Book online at www.ysp.org.uk Florian Gadsby Throwing Demonstration 17 February 2024, 10.30 – 16.30 A rare opportunity to see Florian Gadsby in action at the wheel. Hosted by Toby Brundin, Director of Ceramic Review Magazine, Gadsby will demonstrate and talk about how he throws his tableware, answering questions from the audience while he works. £25.00 including free entry into YSP. Book online at www.ysp.org.uk About Florian Gadsby Born in Norfolk in 1992, Gadsby was educated at a Rudolf Steiner School, gaining expert tuition from pottery teacher, Caroline Hughes and later taking a work placement at Leach Pottery, St. Ives, assisting Jack Doherty. He went on to spend two years at the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland, Ceramics Skills and Training Course, before moving back to London to become a studio apprentice for Lisa Hammond MBE. It was whilst at Hammond’s Maze Hill Pottery that Gadsby was introduced to Japanese Master Potter, Ken Matsuzaki who he later became a visiting apprentice to in Mashiko, Japan. Gadsby learnt how to use the traditional Japanese kick-wheel to make his established shapes, alongside how to glaze in both the oribe and shino style and how to fire them. He moved back to London in 2018 and later set up his current studio. About Yorkshire Sculpture Park Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) is the leading international centre for modern and contemporary sculpture. Welcoming 380,000 visitors in 2022, YSP is an independent charitable trust and registered museum situated in the 500-acre, 18th-century Bretton Hall estate in West Yorkshire. Founded in 1977 by Sir Peter Murray CBE and since 2022 led by Clare Lilley, YSP is the largest sculpture park of its kind in Europe. It is the only place in Europe to see Barbara Hepworth’s The Family of Man in its entirety, alongside a significant collection of sculpture, including bronzes by Henry Moore, important pieces by Phyllida Barlow, Roger Hiorns, Damien Hirst, Studio Morison, Hemali Bhuta and Ai Weiwei, and site-related works by Katrina Palmer, Andy Goldsworthy, Alfredo Jaar, David Nash, Sean Scully and James Turrell. YSP mounts a year-round temporary exhibitions programme including some of the world’s leading artists across six indoor galleries and the open air. Recent highlights include exhibitions by Fiona Banner, Anthony Caro, Tony Cragg, Robert Indiana, Amar Kanwar, KAWS, Joan Miró, Henry Moore, Annie Morris, Giuseppe Penone, Jaume Plensa, Ursula von Rydingsvard, Sean Scully, Yinka Shonibare CBE, Chiharu Shiota, David Smith, Joana Vasconcelos, and Bill Viola. Across its 45-year history, YSP has worked with over 1,000 artists from more than 40 countries, on varied projects from short-term residencies to major surveys. YSP supports artists at vital stages in their careers and is rare in having the accommodation, workshops and expertise to enable open-ended and risk-taking practice, giving artists space, time and support to think and to develop new ideas. Over this time, YSP has sought to ignite, nurture and sustain interest in and debate around contemporary art and sculpture, especially with those for whom art participation is not habitual or familiar. It enables open access to art, situations and ideas, and continues to re-evaluate and expand the approach to considering art’s role and relevance in society. Supporting 40,000 people each year through YSP’s learning programme, this innovative work develops ability, confidence and life aspiration in participants. YSP’s core work is made possible by investment from Arts Council England, Wakefield Council, the Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation and Sakurako and William Fisher through the Sakana Foundation. YSP was named Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2014 and awarded VisitEngland’s gold accolade in 2021-22 for an outstanding visitor attraction.

Experience the rattle of milk churns and the chatter of busy porters, plus cranes and trains will chugging back to life at the Great Central Railway on 19-20 August at the “Railways At Work” Gala Weekend. Visitors will have the chance to experience the sights, sounds and atmosphere of a busy railway station in 1960s Britain with dozens of railway re-enactors, vintage trains and vehicles to help recreate the scene at the station which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary of trains returning to its historic tracks. What’s more, the Leicestershire visitor attraction, which welcomes more than 100,000 visitors every year, is offering its popular ‘Kids for a Quid’ offer all weekend which sees up to 3 children travel for just £1 each with each adult ticket purchased. Simon Bracewell, Head of Marketing & Communications of the Great Central Railway said: “This is one of our most exciting weekends of the year. Before lorries prowled motorways, freight trains criss-crossed the country loading and unloading wagons, parcels and goods at every small country station." "We’ve got an impressive fleet of award-winning wagons which moved everything you can imagine. Also on display will be more unusual vehicles like rail mounted cranes which we’ll set to work lifting heavy loads." "During Railways At Work, uniformed porters galore will be busy making sure the right goods get to the right destinations so you can experience ‘special deliveries’ 1960s style, long before anyone had heard of a warehouse sized fulfilment centre! Quorn and Woodhouse station will probably be busier than it ever has been, so come and watch the show unfold." Several steam and diesel locomotives will be in action over the weekend hauling the freight trains and the Great Central’s regular service of heritage passenger trains too.

Around 350 households across Leicestershire are set to benefit after Leicestershire County Council, in partnership with district authorities, was awarded £6.8 million by the government over the next two years to support the installation of energy efficiency improvements, which will reduce energy costs as well as making households warmer and greener. The Home Upgrade Grant funding is available to homes without mains gas central heating living in priority neighbourhood postcodes, and more widely where the annual household income is below £31,000, or where a member of the household receives certain benefits. The new scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency of owner-occupier and private rental households most in need of support, reduce energy bills and tackle climate change. It follows on from previous successful funding bids delivered through the Warm Homes service and Green Living Leicestershire partnership, including the Green Homes Grant, Warm Homes Fund and Sustainable Warmth Competition. The Home Upgrade Grant is delivered through Green Living Leicestershire, a partnership between Leicestershire authorities who work collectively to deliver projects supporting sustainability and net zero across the county. The partnership is delivering funding on behalf of Blaby District Council, Charnwood Borough Council, Harborough District Council, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Melton Borough Council and North West Leicestershire District Council. A similar scheme using Sustainable Warmth Competition funding last year saw more than £1.75m spent on installing energy-efficient measures in almost 170 homes across the county to date, with additional works due to be completed by the end of September. Under the latest Home Upgrade Grant funding, eligible county residents will benefit from an expert assessment that recommends the improvements best suited to their property, which may include insulation, low carbon and renewable technologies. Funding is targeted at homes where the main source of heating is something other than mains gas, such as electric, heating oil, LPG, or solid fuel. Households that only use gas for cooking or secondary room heating can still apply. Low-income households and those living in identified priority neighbourhoods with energy inefficient homes will be prioritised. Funding is available to homeowners and private tenants of landlords with small property portfolios. The £6.8m Home Upgrade Grant funding has been awarded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and administered through the Midlands Net Zero Hub.