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This week, Purple House Clinic (PHC) – a private psychology clinic – is set to open Leicester’s first specialised neurodiverse assessment centre. The new facility will provide a number of services, including assessments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning difficulties (Educational Psychology), and sensory difficulties (Occupational Therapy), in a bid to tackle the overwhelming demand for assessments in the Leicestershire area. “We are excited to announce the launch of our second PHC here in Leicester. Since 2018, we have provided individualised, easy-to-access psychological services to adults and children across Leicestershire. Our team of 22 associate clinicians have helped with various assessments and mental health difficulties, including depression, anxiety, phobias, PTSD, complex trauma and personality issues,” said Vicki Edwards, the Director of Purple House Clinic Leicester. “With the pandemic and increased awareness of mental health issues, the requirement for our services has skyrocketed. In 2022 we saw 410 patients from the surrounding area – the majority of which wanted neurodiverse assessments – an increase of 52% from the previous year.” “This emphasises how important our services are to the local community here in Leicester. By opening a second clinic dedicated to neurodiverse assessment, we aim to help reduce waiting times for people already looking in the area and provide a viable alternative to using NHS services.” The news of the centre will come as a relief to many people in Leicestershire, particularly when the number of patients who rely on NHS services received their first care contact within 13 weeks rose from 6,928 to 8,973, a rise of 30% between 2021-20221. This is a troubling national statistic when you consider around 1-7 people in the UK are predicted to be neurodiverse (have ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and Tourette’s syndrome)2. “In Leicester, our most popular service is definitely the specialist assessments for neurodiversity. We have noticed our waiting list was getting longer and longer due to increased patient demand, so we decided it was time to open a new clinic. This means we can now carry out even more specialist assessment services and ultimately help more people receive the right diagnosis and treatment faster.” “Inside the new clinic, we have two psychiatry rooms for assessments, treatments and follow-ups. We also have a psychological assessment room and a variety of areas for family, individual, couple and adult therapies. As well as all this, we are looking to bring in four more psychiatrists and four clinical psychologists to add to our fantastic team of qualified clinicians.” As well as offering individual support to adults and children, PHC also provides training, workshops and lectures to organisations on subjects related to mental health, psychology and child development, as well as providing consultancy and clinical supervision services. Purple House Clinic’s neurodiverse assessment clinic is located at The Crescent, King Street, Leicester, LE1 6RX.

Leicestershire County Cricket Club is pleased to announce homegrown batsman Sam Evans has signed a contract extension ahead of the 2023 season. The 25-year-old cemented himself as a first team regular in red-ball cricket at the beginning of the 2021 season, after a blistering start saw him register three centuries in as many matches, including a career-best 138 at The Oval against Surrey. His battling spirit with bat in hand was best exemplified at Durham at the start of the 2022 season, when the opener grinded out a 254-ball 77 not out to save the game on the final day at Chester-le-Street. After a stint out of the side in the middle of the 2022 summer, Evans returned strongly to finish the Championship campaign with two half-centuries in his final three matches. Collectively, the Leicester-born batsman has accrued 1,482 runs across 35 first-class and List A matches, and was afforded the proud honour of captaining his home county for the high-profile four-day fixture against India in June. A product of the academy at Grace Road, Evans joined the pathway setup at Under 11 level, before signing his first Leicestershire contract and debuting in the summer of 2017. It followed an impressive run as a student in the Loughborough MCCU side, including a score of 114 against Northamptonshire in just his second first-class innings. Evans has spent the winter Down Under, turning out for Melbourne-based side Kingston Hawthorn CC, where he has topped the club’s run charts with 461 at an average just shy of 42. Discussing his extension, Evans said: “Every time I walk out onto the pitch for my hometown club, it’s a dream come true. It’s a feeling that will never get old. I love playing with this group. We’re in a really positive place to push for success this season and make our fans proud.” Director of Cricket, Claude Henderson, added: “Sam is a true clubman. He’s very popular in the dressing room and this deal represents another opportunity for him to firmly establish himself in both red-ball and white-ball cricket.” Evans is the latest Fox to commit his future to the club, joining Chris Wright, Nick Welch, Will Davis, Wiaan Mulder and Naveen-ul-Haq in extending his stay with Leicestershire into 2023. Photo credit: John Mallett

The tower, located in Queen’s Park in Loughborough is one of the most well-known monuments and instruments in the town and pays tribute to Loughborough servicemen who have lost their lives in conflict since the First World War. Charnwood Borough Council will be marking the momentous occasion with a service at the tower on Saturday July 22, 2023, exactly 100 years since the Carillon was officially unveiled. There will also be other events throughout the year to mark the centenary. Councillor Jenny Bokor, the council’s lead member for Loughborough, said: “We are so proud of the Carillon Tower and its history, and I am pleased to see that we are marking the war memorial’s historic year.” “The Carillon Tower pays tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives for their country and it is so important that we honour them. This year will be such a historic year for the tower and all those who are connected with it.” Mayor of Charnwood, Councillor Jennifer Tillotson, said: “The Carillon Tower is one of the most well-known buildings in Charnwood and we are very pleased to have it in Loughborough and it is important that we mark its centenary. It is especially important to Loughborough because as well as being our war memorial, the Carillon bells were cast by Taylor’s Bell Foundry, which was then and is still located here in Loughborough.” “Throughout the year, the Carillon is the foundation for many of our events and a fantastic monument.” Caroline Sharpe is the borough’s carillonneur and gives recitals at the tower throughout the year. Caroline said: “It’s an honour to be carillonneur at Loughborough and to be able to mark the centenary year of such a unique and iconic war memorial.” The tower, which is maintained by the Council, is also home to the Loughborough Carillon Tower and Museum Trust. Mel Gould, chairman of the Loughborough Carillon Tower and War Memorial Museum, said: “The people of Loughborough are rightly proud of their most noble and beautiful war memorial and it has become, almost a right of passage, for children to climb the steps to the top.” The Carillon Tower was built after the First World War. The first brick was laid 101 years ago on January 22, 1922 before the official unveiling in July the following year by Field Marshall Sir William Robertson. A total of 47 bells are housed in the Carillon Tower which were cast at Loughborough based John Taylor and Co Bell Foundry, the last major bell foundry in Britain. Loughborough is now synonymous with bells. The Carillon Tower was designed by Sir Walter Tapper, the President of the Royal Institute of British Architects and displays the names of those who lost their lives in the First World War, Second World War, Korean and Falkland Wars and the conflict in Cyprus around its outside walls. As well as the service in July, events and exhibitions are being planned during 2023 including. The Sock Gallery at Loughborough Town Hall will be holding an exhibition on June 17, 2023 at 2pm. This will look at the history of the Alexandra Bedspread with researcher Deborah Moxom which was created to raise money to build the tower over 100 years ago. The Council will be sharing stories, images, videos and information to mark the tower’s centenary throughout the year.

The AFC Sudbury Academy has returned victorious after a 6-day tour in Miami with a big win for the Girls in the U19 bracket after an epic penalty shootout, finishing with a 7-6 win! As well as the wining girls team, the club also took two boys teams to play in separate competitions at the Enigma Cup, with the backing sponsorship of Sudbury based external shading manufacturer Caribbean Blinds. With 8 staff and 59 Academy students, the costs soon ramp up and the support from Caribbean Blinds enabled the team to benefit from a fully rounded trip. The family run firm initiated its relationship with AFC Sudbury in October 2019, when it announced its sponsorship of the Girls Academy. They went on to become the sole sponsor of the club’s new and upgraded home and away kit for both men and women’s teams across all age groups. Academy director Danny Laws commented: “The sponsorship from Caribbean Blinds allowed us to maximise all the opportunities and time we had on tour within budget. An extra trip out to a college or soccer game catering for the 67-person tour party didn’t need worrying about and for that we are very grateful.” “It was an incredible feeling for the AFC Sudbury Academy to resume its Annual Tour to the USA after two years of the pandemic. It was also fantastic that we were heading to Miami, the destination of the cancelled tour of 2020.” “Over the last five years, the tour has whetted the appetite for our young players to pursue playing and studying opportunities within the USA Collegiate sports system and enjoy a sporting/university experience unparalleled anywhere in the world.” Stuart Dantzic, Managing Director at Caribbean Blinds responded: “We actually started our initial sponsorship with AFC Sudbury with the new Girls Academy team back in 2019 so we are thrilled to hear that the girls have brought it home! The US tour is a massive organisation that requires a dedicated team of staff, numerous outings and trips and lots of kit! To be able to help to enable this tour and to give these gifted young players such a life changing opportunity make us incredibly proud.” The tour itself gives the opportunity to play competitive soccer against American opposition in an exciting tournament structure. For the remainder of the tour, the organisers cram in as many sightseeing and fun activities that help bond the group as well as teach independence, decision making and other valuable memories and life lessons. The tour also gets players thinking of the opportunities that the USA can bring and impressively, the Academy are graduating 6 of their to USA Colleges this Summer.

Pontefract has won a gold award in the prestigious horticultural competition Yorkshire in Bloom. The win came in the Large Town category. Volunteers from Pontefract in Bloom, with help from Wakefield Council staff, created some amazing floral displays, repaired street furniture and made other improvements to the public space in the historic market town centre. Wakefield Council, along with park rangers, worked alongside the community to ensure the town and its parks were prepared for judging, which took place in July. Judges from Yorkshire in Bloom assessed the town centre, Pontefract Park and Friarwood Valley Gardens during their visit. They praised the Friends groups and volunteers for their “enthusiasm and dedication, a credit to Pontefract” and said, “what came through was the collective partnerships all working together for the pride they have in their town”. Councillor Darren Byford, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economic Growth and Property, said: “Congratulations to everyone who contributed their time or resources to making this happen – they look truly amazing!” “We are delighted to have provided our support to this remarkable community effort and I hope it encourages more people to make the trip to this lovely town, to see the displays.” For this year’s entry, Pontefract in Bloom bought additional planters with grants from Wakefield Council’s Neighbourhood Improvement Fund and Pontefract Councillors agreed to pay for two Platinum Jubilee planters, from the Local Capital Fund. The rest of the funding came from businesses and individual sponsorship. Colin White, Chair of Pontefract in Bloom, said: “Pontefract in Bloom is really pleased with this achievement. It’s all down to the hard work and commitment of community volunteers, supported by Wakefield Council and their park rangers. Thanks also to all the businesses and individuals who sponsored Pontefract in Bloom”. The award was announced at the Yorkshire in Blooms ceremony on Thursday 6 October in Tadcaster.

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